SANDHILL RUSTIC MOTH (LUPERINA NICKERLII GUENEEI)
LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

OBJECTIVES

1. Maintain population size between West Kirby and Hoylake.
2. Enable habitat to be created.

LOCAL TARGET

Implement annual monitoring of the species.

CURRENT STATUS

This race is confined to sand dune systems in North Wales and North West England. Listed as Vulnerable in the RDB. On the Long List of BAP. Confined to one site on Wirral between West Kirby and Hoylake. Only one current other Merseyside site, (Altcar) where it has not been seen for 2 years, but found in reasonable numbers across the Dee at Talacre & Gronant.

Found in Sand Couch, mainly that lapped by the highest tides. Eggs are laid in sheaths of Sand Couch Grass in August and September. The larvae feed down the shoot and reach the root crowns and stem bases by early spring where they feed, also feeding along rhizomes until July when they pupate. The pupa is found a few cm down. The adults emerge in August and September hiding in the dunes during the day. Most adults are found exposed on the plant for the first half of the night and are easy to observe and record; flying takes place mainly later in the night.
This race occurs at Newborough, Malltraeth, Gronant, Talacre, West Kirby; in past few years also at Altcar, in past few decades also at Ainsdale; early 20th century at Conwy, Southport and St.Annes. [Other races occur in Cornwall, Kent/Essex and SW Ireland].

Apart from the general provisions of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, Sandhill Rustic Moth is not specially protected by European or British legislation.

THREATS

• Recreational disturbance of habitat.
• Beach engineering works. Potential threat from beach engineering works designed to prevent natural development of pioneer dunes.
• Sea level changes as it is in a habitat that is a pioneer, dynamic and short-lived and it is thus vulnerable to storms and other climate and tidal influences.
• Erosion of strandline / dune edge.
• Successional changes in vegetation of strandline.

CURRENT ACTION

• There has been an annual survey since 1996, when the colony was discovered; surveys in previous years had not found the moth.

ACTION REQUIRED IN 2006+

• Safeguard the precise areas of habitat from severe disturbance by trampling or engineering works; encourage similar habitat to develop.
• Ensure that the requirements of the species are taken into account in relevant Shoreline Management Plans.
• Beach Management Strategy - Maintain habitat of strandline with sparse Sand Couch lapped by the highest tides.
• Ensure managers of beach between West Kirby and Hoylake are aware of the species needs, the importance of the species and that advice on its management is available.
• Implement regular monitoring of the species.
• Pass information gathered during survey to appropriate local and national data holders.
• This is a local 'celebrity' moth and an endemic species. Compared with other populations this one is extremely easy of access and the population could be damaged by collectors, who do exist!, or excessive visits by moth spotters. The length of life of adults is not known but the population could generate as few as 30 moths in a year.
• National conservation bodies recommend that the site should not be excessively publicised. However, visits by responsible people should be allowed as a way of encouraging awareness in stake-holder groups.

ACTION COMPLETED PREVIOUSLY

• Surveys by NMGM 1996 - 2001, Spalding in 1999 and others in 1998.
• Annual monitoring carried out in 2003.

ACTUAL LBAP IMPLEMENTERS

OTHER POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTERS

CONTACT

Ian Wallace, Liverpool Museum
William Brown Street
Liverpool L3 8EN
0151 922 7915.

REFERENCES

HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 2: Action Plans, London.
HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 1: Meeting the Rio Challenge, London.

Date compiled - 2001
Date reviewed - 2002, 2003

This plan is part of the Wirral Biodiversity Action Plan which can be viewed at www.wirral.gov.uk/ed/biodiversity/home.htm

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