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The distribution and biology of Sepsidae (Diptera) in upland regions of northern England
Author(s) -
RANDALL M.,
COULSON J. C.,
BUTTERFIELD J.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
ecological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.865
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2311
pISSN - 0307-6946
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2311.1981.tb00604.x
Subject(s) - biology , habitat , ecology , grassland , pasture , range (aeronautics) , larva , genus , biological dispersal , zoology , population , materials science , demography , sociology , composite material
. 1. A survey of the distribution of Sepsidae was made over 2 years at forty‐two sites in northern England. Material was collected by pitfall trapping and in sweep‐net samples. 2. With the exception of a single specimen taken in a pasture, only members of the genus Sepsis were found and three species, S.cynipsea, S.orthocnemis and S.neocynipsea , occurred at most sites. The numbers of S.cynipsea were greater than S.orthocnemis at the great majority of sites. S.neocynipsea was the least abundant of the three species but occurred over the whole altitudinal range and formed a greater proportion of the catch at higher sites. 3. It is suggested that the three commonest species use sheep dung as their main larval habitat in upland areas. Cow dung (the commonest reported larval habitat of Sepsis spp.) did not occur on any of the main sites studied. No sepsids were reared from red grouse droppings. 4. There was no difference in the species composition on peat and grassland sites but almost 4 times as many sepsids were caught on the peat moor than on the neighbouring grasslands. 5. There was a marked bimodal distribution of adults with a trough of captures in June and July. This is in contrast to data from other studies, at low altitudes, and is probably the result of there being only two generations per year in upland areas rather than four (or more) in warmer conditions.