LONGHORN BEETLE (ACMAEOPS COLLARIS)
LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

OBJECTIVES

Establish presence in former occupied sites and ensure site safeguarding.

LOCAL TARGETS

Targets awaited

CURRENT STATUS

This formerly widespread longhorn beetle has declined dramatically and is probably now restricted to small, isolated populations. The only modern record (post 1970) of this species in the UK is from Hyman & Parsons, 1992. The beetle occupies broad-leaved woodland. It breeds in dead, exposed rotten roots, especially of oak trees, where the larvae occur under loose dry bark (Shirt, 1987).

A Red Data Book Category 1 species, considered in danger of extinction in Great Britain and whose survival is unlikely if the causal factors continue operating. This category also includes some taxa that may already be extinct but if rediscovered would require protection.

THREATS

Destruction of suitable existing and potential habitat through woodland clearance.
Loss of habitat through the removal of oak trees on field boundaries.
Loss of habitat through the removal of stumps and other dead wood.
Habitat degradation.

CURRENT ACTION

In the Cheshire region, as recording of Coleoptera is primarily carried out on a site specific basis, there has been no systematic survey carried out for this species.
Existing records are held by county recorders and Liverpool Museum.
Incorporating the maintenance of dead wood, where possible, into practical woodland management and landscaping schemes.

ACTION REQUIRED IN 2006+

Form a Local BAP Action Group for the longhorn beetle.
Collate records to produce a database of information from which former distribution maps can be produced.
Survey former sites to establish current presence and range.
Input into national and local databases.
Identify precise habitat requirements.
Protect all trees known or suspected to be used for breeding.
Re-establish a self-sustaining population.
Identify gaps in age structure of tree populations, thereby ensuring a continuity of dead wood habitat by natural regeneration or new planting.
Raise awareness of the ecological implications of collecting.
Raise public awareness and work towards changing the public's perception of beetles in general.

ACTION COMPLETED PREVIOUSLY

None

ACTUAL LBAP IMPLEMENTERS

None

OTHER POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTERS

Cheshire County Council	Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society	rECOrd
Cheshire Wildlife Trust	Landowners and managers	Tree Wardens
English Nature	Local groups and individuals	Universities
Forestry Authority	Museums

CONTACT

Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Phone: 01270 610180
Fax: 01270 610430

REFERENCES

HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 1: Meeting the Rio Challenge, London.
HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 2:Action Plans, London.
Hyman, P. & Parsons, M. (1994): A Review of the Scarce and Threatened Coleoptera of great Britian, Part 1 UK Nature Conservation:3, Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
Kirby, P. (1992): Habitat Management for Invertebrates: A Practical Handbook. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Liverpool Museum - Recorder information.
McLean, I. F. G., Speight, M. C. D. (1992): Saproxylic Invertebrates - the European Context in Dead Wood Matters, the Ecology and Conservation of Saproxylic Invertebrates in Britain. English Nature Science.
Parsons, M. (1987): Invertebrate Site Register: Review of Invertebrate Sites in England: Cheshire. Report no. 95, part 1&2. Nature Conservancy Council.
Shirt, D. B. (Ed.) (1987): British Red Data Books:2. Insects. Nature Conservancy Council.

Date compiled - 1997
Date reviewed - 1998, 1999