Cornish Biodiversity Network - Supporting Wildlife Recording
The descriptive text, below the map, is from the Cornish Red Data Book (2009). The map on this web page depicts the organisms distribution and shows the records made pre-2000 and those made since.
Range & Status
A very localised species of southern England, and has become increasingly scarce in recent years.
Regional Distribution
Known in the Isles of Scilly for many years \endash St. Mary' s and Tresco in 1931 (K.G. Blair) and Bryher in 1998 (D. Hackett); also old records from the mainland: Gwithian and Godrevy Towans in 1945 (C.C. Townsend), Paul in 1923 (R.T. Bannister) and Portscatho and Whitsand Bay (1906).
Habitat & Ecology
Lives in fine silt-covered sand with sparse vegetation and some mosses, also sometimes found in bogs.
Threats
Disturbance of waterside sand systems, including gravel-winning as well as coastal and flood protection works.
Conservation
Much of the coastal sand systems are now protected within SSSI. Development in the islands is controlled by the Duchy of Cornwall.
I.J. Bennallick, S. Board, C.N. French, P.A. Gainey, C. Neil, R. Parslow, A. Spalding and P.E. Tompsett. eds. 2009. Red Data Book for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 2nd Edition.Croceago Press.
The Cornish Red Data Book Project was led by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Federation for Biological Recorders (CISFBR). The full text and species accounts (minus the maps) are available on the CISFBR website.