Coleoptera at Hylands Park
& Harding (1991) Fowles et al. (1999) & Alexander (2002) for fuller definitions and discussion).
A number of these are not especially fastidious species, and may be found where suitable habitat in
the way of dead wood or arboricolous fungi occur in most parts of Essex. Some, however, are of
much more restricted occurrence. In addition to those already mentioned above that otherwise are
not known to occur in Essex beyond the Epping and Hatfield Forest areas, a further ten saproxylic
species are. on the evidence available, very locally distributed in the county. These are Hapalaraea
pygmaea, Agrilus laticornis, Tillus elongatus, Pseudocistela ceramboides, Prionychus ater, Orchesia
undulata, Mordellistena abdominalis, Ischnomera cyanea, Acalles misellus and Scolytus intricatus.
Using the approach proposed by Fowles et al. (1999), the potential significance of Hylands Park
for saproxylic beetle species may be evaluated. The 74 saproxylic species recorded here from
Hylands Park (see Species List below), which are listed and given ''rarity scores" by Fowles et al.
(1999), produce a Saproxylic Quality Score for the site of 220. The Saproxylic Quality Index
obtained is 291.2, very substantially lower than that (598.0) given for Epping Forest by Fowles et
al. (1999). and also much lower than the Indexes that would be calculated for Hatfield Forest (AB.
Drane, 2001) and for Hainault Forest (P. Kirby, unpublished). Indeed, 49 of the 56 UK woodland
sites for which Fowles et al. provide provisional SQIs, have indexes higher than 291.2. Nevertheless,
in an Essex context, it may reasonably be expected that rather few woodland, wood-pasture or
parkland sites beyond the limits of the Epping and Hatfield forest areas harbour a greater number
of the more localised saproxylic beetle species.
References
Alexander, K.N. A. 2002. The invertebrates of living and decaying timber in Britain & Ireland.
English Nature Research Reports 467: 1-142.
Drane, A. B. 2001. Saproxylic Coleoptera Survey of Hatfield Forest, Essex. Unpublished report
to the National Trust.
Fowles. A.P., Alexander, K.N.A. & Key. R.S. 1999. The Saproxylic Quality Index: evaluating
wooded habitats for the conservation of dead-wood Coleoptera. Coleopterist 8(3): 121-141.
Hammond, P.M. 1995. Coleoptera in Epping Forest. Unpublished report to English Nature and
The Corporation of London. London: The Natural History Museum.
Hammond, P.M. 1999. The status in Essex of nationally scarce and threatened species of
Coleoptera. Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17: 173-190.
Hammond, P.M. 2000. The millennial status in Essex of nationally scarce and threatened species
of Coleoptera. Essex Naturalist (New Series) 16: 145-154.
Hammond, P.M. & Harding, P.T. 1991. Saproxylic invertebrate assemblages in British
woodlands and their evaluation. In: H.J. Read (ed.) Pollard and veteran tree management,
pp.29-37. Slough: Richmond Publishing.
Hyman. PS. (revised Parsons, M.S.) 1992. A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of
Great Britain. Part 1. UK Nature Conservation: 3. Peterborough: Joint Nature Conservation
Committee.
Hyman, RS. (revised Parsons, M.S.) 1994. A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of
Great Britain. Part 2. UK Nature Conservation: 12. Peterborough: Joint Nature
Conservation Committee.
Levey, B. & Pavett, P.M. 1999. Annual Exhibition, Imperial College. London SW7, 31st October
1998. British Journal of Entomology and Natural History 12: 175.
Morris, M.G. 2002. True weevils (Part ij, Coleoptera: Curculionidae (Subfamilies
Ravmondionyminae to Smicronychinae). Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects
5(17b): 1-149.
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Essex Parks: Section 2 - Hylands Park