Species recording at Abbotts Hall Farm, Great Wigborough
record in Essex since before 1975. An adult has since been trapped on the farm. A number of old
and dying poplars are present around the farm and it is strongly suspected that these are the source
of the larvae.
A number of migrants have also been recorded, which is no great surprise being situated on the
coast. The undoubted highlight was the Convolvulus Hawk-moth Agrius convolvuli that flew into
the warden's kitchen on 24 August 2003.
As mentioned previously there are abundant Elm hedges around the farm and a search of these
resulted in the finding of a larval case of Coleophora limosipennella, as well as the other more
common Elm feeding Coleophora seratella. Other Elm feeding species identified at light include
Dusky7 Lemon Sallow Xanthia gilvago and Orange Sallow Xanthia citrago.
Diptera (155 species)
A total of 155 species has now been recorded on the farm including two RDB species, both of
which are coastal specialists: the horseflies Haematopota bigoti (RDB3) and Hybomitra expollicata
(pRDB2) (Falk 1991). These species are characteristic of the Greater Thames, the latter being
virtually confined to it. but neither is too hard to find in northeast Essex.
Another coastal specialist, the Nationally Scarce large soldierfly Stratiomys singularior (=furcata).
is a well-known component of the brackish coastal marsh fauna where the largely aquatic larvae
inhabit ditches and their margins.
Another Nationally Scarce species is Solva marginata, a wood-soldierfly that is strongly associated
with dead or dying poplars. In Essex it appears to be more widespread than its status would
suggest as we have recorded it easily from several sites around the county in the last two years.
Many of the more substantial families (e.g. Tipuhdae, Muscidae, Mycetophilidae) have not been
recorded, but the most significant family so far. with 65 species are the hoverflies, largely due to
the interests of one of the recorders and the proximity to the office of the garden with its nectar-rich
flower borders. All five species of British Volucella have now been recorded including the three
Nationally Scarce species - V. inanis, V. inflata and V. zonaria - all of which appear to be undergoing
a range expansion. Perhaps the most surprising of these is V. inflata the larvae of which develop in
sap runs rather than wasp nests as do those of the other members of the genus.
The other Nationally Scarce hoverflies identified so far are Lejogaster tarsata (=splendida), an
attractive metallic species associated with the coast and only previously recorded from three sites
in the south of the county, and Neoascia interrupta, predominantly, but not exclusively, coastal and
like the previous species the larvae develop in rotting plant material in wet situations.
Hymenoptera (91 species)
The gardens, field margins, Saltmarsh and seawall support a surprising range of bees and wasps,
covering all the major groups of Hymenoptera. In many instances our findings illustrate the
importance of garden plants in helping to support invertebrate populations. In the spring, the large
ornamental Spurges (Euphorbia spp.) surrounding the main lawn are highly attractive to bees such
as Andrena chrysosceles. At this time of year even the shiny foliage of some non-flowering shrubs
seem to be popular with bees, perhaps as basking areas, with. Andrena bicolor, Andrena flavipes
96
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 20 (2003)