News archive

David Jones
Dec 2008. Most people who record barkflies tend to restrict fieldwork to May - October and there are few records outside this period. One person who hasn't followed this trend is David Jones who has been continuously observing the wildlife in his Aldershot garden for many years. The results are a real eye-opener! What has he found? Check for yourself on his website: www.mybitoftheplanet.com. Start by looking at his garden diary entries for October 2008 and carry on from there.

Atlantopsocus adustus
2007. Keith Alexander has discovered that his find of Atlantopsocus adustus in Cornwall last year was not a one-off occurrence. He has now found it at six additional Cornish sites, so it would seem that Cornwall is the stronghold of the species in England. Or is it? Marcus Oldfield has also found the species this year near Brighton, Sussex so there is still a great deal to be learned about its distribution.

Peripsocus consobrinus
2007. The most elusive of all barkflies is Peripsocus consobrinus. The species was described from a single specimen found in 1930 and since then, nothing - no further finds from anywhere in the world! That is until this year when two specimens were found by Bob Saville in Argyll, Scotland in, of all places, a Sitka spruce plantation.

Stenopsocus immaculatus and Stenopsocus lachlani
2007. On the Continent Stenopsocus immaculatus and S. lachlani can be readily distinguished but a recent study by Bob Saville has shown that this is not the case here. This initial study of 60 specimens suggests that none of the available keys are suitable for separating the two species in Britain and Ireland. But more work is required to resolve the issue and there is a particular need to study specimens from as many locations as possible. Please send any specimens that you collect to Bob (address on Recording Scheme page).

Website launched.
11th April, 2007. With material provided by Bob Saville and web-hosting and design from BRC, the new National Barkfly Recording Scheme website was first made public today.

Psocus bipunctatus
2007. The last sightings of some barkfly species were made so long ago that you would be forgiven for thinking that they had become extinct. The most extreme example is Psocus bipunctatus which was last seen in London and Suffolk in 1836. But last year Laurence Clemons collected a number of specimens at Blaxland Farm in Kent proving that even the most apparently unlikely species can still turn up.

Atlantopsocus adustus.
2006. Atlantopsocus personatus has been recorded for many years in Ireland but was unknown on the British mainland. In 2006 that seemed to change when Keith Alexander found two Atlantopsocus specimens in Cornwall. These specimens have in fact turned out to be Atlantopsocus adustus - new to Britain and Ireland! As it happens these were not the only Atlantopsocus specimens collected by Keith in 2006; he also recorded a number at three old parkland sites in Northern Ireland. Surely these were all A. personatus, the species that Ireland is known for? In fact they all turned out to be A. adustus! Read more...

Peripsocus parvulus.
2006. There has only been one record of Peripsocus parvulus in Britain and that was made long ago - Robert McLachlan found it in the New Forest in 1890. It is consequently remarkable that in 2006 the species was recorded at three sites. Bob Saville found it at two sites in the Peak District, Derbyshire and Keith Alexander recorded it in Monmouthshire.

Propsocus pulchripennis.
2006. Since its discovery in Britain by Peter Kirby in 2000 Propsocus pulchripennis has been something of a curiosity. It was found at an unusual location (Isles of Scilly), in an unusual habitat (short grassy vegetation close to the high tide mark) and erratically (no specimens found at the known locations in 2002). And now the plot thickens! Marcus Oldfield recorded the species in 2006 on coastal vegetation at Newhaven, East Sussex. Is it going to prove to be widespread along the south coast?