North and south coast invertebrates group

The Variable Meadow Fly uses its yellow and black stripes to mimic wasps. It lives in open, sunny, flower-rich coastal grasslands. It’s largely found along the south Devon coast but also occurs in a few places along the north coast. It’s an attractive species and can act as a flagship for the management of coastal grasslands. 

The Variable Meadow Fly is nationally scarce and thought to be declining across the country due to loss of habitat. As for other species in this group, a key issue is loss of coastal grasslands due to lack of grazing.   

These brown, flightless weevils (a beetle) are rare and only found on the Atlantic fringes of western Europe. They’re named after the Lizard peninsula in west Cornwall.  

Lizard weevils are parthenogenetic, which means their populations consist entirely of females that lay eggs which do not need to be fertilised.  

There are three species in this group, Cathormiocerus attaphilus, Cathormiocerus maritimus and Cathormiocerus myrmecophilus. They’re all largely found in Devon and Cornwall, with some records along the south coast of England and Wales. C. attaphilus is especially rare and found only in Devon and Cornwall.

They need short maritime grassland with patches of bare ground maintained through exposure to salt spray, erosion, grazing and thin, dry soil. They’re thought to feed on a range of plants but seem to prefer plantains. The key pressure is tall grassland and scrub caused by a lack of grazing.  

In Devon, all three are found between Wembury and Prawle Point. C. maritium and C. myrmecophilus are also found between Brixham and Froward Point (near Kingswear). C. myrmecophilus is also found on the north coast between Marsland and Clovelly.   

This special group includes species that are largely found on the cliffs, coastal grasslands, shingle and rocky shores along Devon’s two coastlines. Some are very specialist and rely on plants, such as thrift and Sea Campion, which only occur in coastal areas. Others were once more widespread but are now largely restricted to wildlife-rich coastal habitats.

Moths which are characteristic of sand dunes, east Devon chalk and Torbay limestone are discussed in separate groups.

Devon Species of Conservation Concern include:

• South coast only:
• Sea Spurge Tortix (Acroclita subsequana): Caterpillars feed on Sea Spurge and Portland Spurge, spinning the leaves to the stem with silk. In Devon they’re recorded at Strete Gate Beach and Blackpool Sands.
• Rolled Grass-moth (Pediasia contaminella): Caterpillars feed on grasses such as Sheeps’ Fescue. In Devon it’s recorded at a few locations on the south Devon coast, the sand dunes at Dawlish Warren and a few records from the Pebblebed Heaths.

• Both coasts:
• Black-banded (Polymixis xanthomista): Recorded along the north coast between Ilfracombe and Hartland and scattered along the south coast. Restricted to rocky and stony areas where they feed on coastal plants such as thrift.
• Barrett’s Marbled Coronet (Conisania andalusica): Recorded along the south coast and on the north coast between Ilfracombe and Hartland. Caterpillars feed on the roots of Sea Campion and Rock Sea-spurrey.
• Scarce Moss-moth (Bryotropha dryadella): Caterpillars feed on various mosses and possibly leaves of short grasses growing within the moss.
• Mere Wainscot (Photedes fluxa): Feeds on Wood Small-reed and in Devon is now mainly found along the east Devon coast and near Croyde on the north coast.
• Thrift Clearwing (Pyropteron muscaseformis): Found on rocky shores and cliffs around Hartland and Bideford, on Lundy and on the south coast. Caterpillars feed in the stems and roots of thrift.
• Garden Tiger (Arctia caja): Still widespread but declining and now only common in coastal areas. Caterpillars feed on a wide range of plants.
• Cornish Snout (Nothris congressariella): In Devon only found on Lundy. Caterpillars feed on Balm-leaved Figwort, which has a very localised distribution. The population is thought to have expanded after Rhodedendron was eradicated.
• Wall (Lasiommata megera): Declining, but much more widespread throughout England. Caterpillars feed on a wide range of grasses. It’s found in dunes and coastal habitats, but also disused quarries and derelict land with lots of bare ground.
• Grayling (Hipparchia semele): Habitat requirement is similar to the Silver-studded Blue, needing open, sparse vegetation with fine-leaved grasses and bare ground. Grayling is more widespread than the Silver-studded Blue with records (2000 – 2009) on the Pebblebed Heaths, around the edges of Dartmoor and the south Devon and north Devon coasts.
• Small Blue (Cupido minimus): Caterpillars feed on Kidney Vetch. Very locally situated in Devon. Main sites are east Devon coast, Torbay coast and Braunton Burrows. East Devon sites tend to be managed naturally by occasional cliff fall and erosion, which create ideal breeding conditions.

Four species are identified as Devon Special Species in their own right.