The Lily Beetle became
established in Britain in the early
1940s and initially spread slowly
across south east England, but
which then underwent a massive
extension in range during the
1980s and 1990s and as of
March 2003 was recorded from
265 10km squares and 46 vice-
counties in England and Wales
(Koryszko 2004). Our records
cover 149 10 km squares and the
map showing the results for
submissions since the form was
made available in December
2003 (see Fig. 1) is impressive,
presenting a reasonably
comprehensive picture of the
current British distribution of
this snecies Fig.1. Map of Lily Beetle records submitted to the
Essex Field Club website to 27th August 2004
Only one record (not mapped) seems to been the result of an initial misidentification,
the recorder confusing the beetle with the similar Cardinal Beetle. I was able to pick this
up because of the unusual location given for the Lily Beetle (a country park instead of
on lily plants in a garden) and this was confirmed when a picture was sent (modern
digital photography is an increasingly impressive and useful format). Often pictures are
submitted that enable records to be confirmed, but occasionally the information given
leads to doubt over the correct identification. For the 22 species so far with website
forms to submit records, there have been very few instances of definite or probable
misidentification. These I flag and do not enter them onto the database.
The widely varying response to different species is interesting and the reasons for this
are worth considering. One thing is clear from the large number of people in many
different counties and countries (so far including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Greece,
Spain, Sweden and the USA) that submit records, there is a big demand out there for
people to be able to submit observations. There will be a more detailed analysis of the
results of the website forms in the new Essex Naturalist, due out in December and
available at the Exhibition on 4th December.
References
Koryszko, J. (2004) A further note and records of the continued spread of the Lily
Beetle in Britain. Bulletin of the Amateur Entomologists' Society 63: 111-112.
16
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 45, September 2004