Review of the Wildlife of Epping Forest 2001 - March 2002
eventually lead to a full-scale colonisation of the Forest's grasslands, which should now be in a
condition to attract it following the restoration work outlined above.
The most common butterflies of the grasslands remain the Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina and,
for sheer weight of numbers for a few weeks each year, the Small Skippers Thymelicus sylvestris
and Essex Skippers T. lineola. Other grassland species still seem to be either absent or in small
numbers. Ringlets Aphantopus hyperantus., which need damp grassland and wetter summers, were
not seen again following the sighting in 2000 whilst there were only one or two records of the Small
Copper Lycaena phlaeas on Woodford Golf Course with none from Fairmead. More opening up of
ride-sides in addition to the main plains should improve conditions for such butterflies and re-
connect suitable sites to each other. This work is an important part of the Forest's Management
Plan.
Beetles
Stag beetle Lucanus cervus records this year included several records of flying males. At least 5
males were seen in two evenings of observation, one in mid-May and the other in mid-June. The
May records arc the earliest breeding season records in the last 10 years for this largest of British
beetles. Adult beetles were also seen in gardens at Chingford and Loughton. The most productive
area was the Whipps Cross and Leyton Flats area where a Stag Beetle survey was carried out (by
Colin Plant) as part of the Whipps Cross Hospital re-development assessment. This area of the
Forest around Hollow Ponds has a population of old Oaks that provide a very significant habitat for
this species and the trees probably form the core of the species' distribution in the southern area of
the Forest.
Another big beetle, the Rose Chafer Cetonia, aurata, had a good year being seen at the Warren in
large numbers in May. Big beetles such as this are vital food for the larger bats like Noctules
Nyctalus noctula for which the Forest remains a stronghold in the region.
Bees, Ants & Wasps
The Grey Mining Bee Andrena cineraria, only known in Essex from Epping Forest, was recorded
again in good numbers at its two main localities Warren Hill and Strawberry Hill both near Loughton.
Flies
The wasp-mimic cranefly Ctenophora flaveolata, a Red Data Book species (RDB2) for which
Epping Forest may be the stronghold in the UK was recorded on 21st May 2001 at Rushey Plain
near the Wake Valley, an area from which it has been recorded previously in 1999. This is another
welcome observation of this elusive and rare insect which until 1999 had only been recorded from
the Forest once in the 20th Century.
Reptiles & Amphibians
Adders Vipera berus seem to be doing well in the more remote glades within the Forest, despite
declines on the main heaths. Six Adders were observed together in a glade in the northern Forest,
where they are regularly counted, constituting the largest number seen together in 2001.
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 19 (2002)
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