The flies (Diptera) of Epping Forest
The total for crane-flies (Tipuloidea) from Epping, 124 species, is very high but this partly reflects
the collecting effort of workers such as Payne (1968). Epping is an exceptional site for crane-flies
and only one site in western Scotland has a larger species total. There is a good fauna associated
with dead wood and fungi.
The fungus gnats (Mycetophilidae) sensu latu include 527 British species, of which 205 are now
known from the Forest. This is less than Burnham Beeches (239) while the New Forest has the
highest total (about 250). The Epping total is comparable to Windsor, Savernake and Wyre Forests.
The Wicken total (134) is lower, presumably because Wicken is not primarily a woodland site.
The Empidoidea contains families which are richest in woodlands and wetlands and while Burnham
Beeches (186) and Epping (190) arc comparable, Wicken is far richer (231), as befits one of our
best wetland sites.
The hoverflies (Syrphidae) of Epping Forest are extremely rich, with 137 species, including many
rare dead wood species. Morris (1998) recorded 133 species from Great Bookham Common, Surrey.
There can be few sites where one would expect more than 50% of the British hoverfly fauna. Both
Burnham Beeches (88) and Wicken (114) have fewer species. Many Syrphidae are found in ancient
woodland with dead wood and they have been proposed as indicators of ancient woodland. Ball &
Morris (2000) include a list derived from Stubbs (1982) and Epping has 27 species out of 54 possibles
which are primary woodland indicators. This appears to be the second highest total in the UK, after
Windsor Forest with 29.
The Muscidae and Fannidae include the house-flies which enter homes and can be a nuisance, but
there arc many more species which do not corne indoors. Some of these arc rare and associated with
vulnerable habitats like dead wood. Epping has a good list of both families but more are known from
Burnham Beeches. This is probably because Malaise traps have been used more extensively at
Burnham Beeches. The Epping totals are similar to those from Wychwood Forest (Oxfordshire) and
Cottrill (Oxfordshire, formerly Berkshire).
Selected species - the successes!
The following species were recorded from the Forest in the past, but were rediscovered during the
survey, or are new records. With more recent and localised information it will be possible to make
more precise recommendations for management.
Ctenophora flaveolata (Fabricius)
This large and spectacular black and yellow crane-fly was found in the Forest in 1999 (Dagley &
Ismay 2000; Dagley 2000). The larvae reported in these papa's turned out to be the more common
(but still Notable) Ctenophora pectinicornis (Linnaeus) (Plate 9 inset). The early stages of C.
flaveolata are thus still unknown, making management recommendations difficult.
Metalimnobia quadrimaculata (Linnaeus)
This is another crane-fly, one which has very strongly marked wings. It is otherwise known only
from Windsor Forest and the New Forest, and had not been recorded for many years in Epping
Forest. The survey showed it was well established in the Forest and it was recorded from three
ION
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)