Podagrica fuscipes (Fabricius) (Chrysomelidae) in Somerset

摘要

In Somerset Podagrica fuscipes (Fabricius) is known only from Weston-Super-Mare prior to 1890 (Fowler, 1890; Duff et al., 2011). Cox (2007) displays a record denoted as 1900-1979; examination of the raw data on the NBN Gateway confirmed that as stated in Duff et al. (2011) this actually refers to the pre-1890 record. On 14 August 2011 I took a wrong turn and briefly pulled in to the car park opposite West Sedge Moor pumping station (ST3728). Whilst turning I noticed a small group of plants worthy of a quick sweep. Amongst them some mallow Malva sp. possessed feeding signs. On one large plant I was fortunate to obtain several individuals of P. fuscipes, a species new to south Somerset (VC 5) and the first county record for over a century. It was in the company of several mallow associated species most notably Aspidapion aeneum (Fabricius) last recorded in south Somerset (VC 5) in 1949 and the second modern record for the county (Duff et al., 2011). Both species were still present a week later on 19 August 2011.