Suffolk Natural History, Vol. 35
NOTABLE SAPROXYLIC BEETLES (COLEOPTERA) FROM ASPAL CLOSE, BECK ROW, NEAR MILDENHALL, SUFFOLK. R. COLIN WELCH On 28th May 1997 I was contractcd by Forest Hcath District Council, Mildcnhall, to survey a site they owned at Aspal Close, Beck Row, Suffolk (TL/700773), to establish what saproxylic species of Coleoptera were present The site is approximately 19 ha (47 acres) in extent, the southern third of which IS open grassland and dry heath with a few groups of old pollarded oaks. An area to the north-west is maintained as a football pitch, but the central region contains numerous oak pollards and scrub forming a type of pasturcwoodland. There are 182 pollarded oaks on the site and a further 43 in the gardens of surrounding private properties. Only four oaks outside the Close were omitted from a Tree Preservation Order. Local knowledge indicates that oaks were still being regularly pollarded up until 1961. There is very little dead timber either in the crowns or on the ground. The site is currently managed for public amenity, mainly for the residents of the surrounding houses. Unfortunately such access has resulted in vandalism in which several hol low trees have been burned. One tree was even burnt between my first visit on 28th May and my return on 17th June 1997. Very little is known of the history of this unique site. Even Oliver Rackham was unaware of its existence until he visited it on 24th June 1997. As most dead wood appears to be quickly removed from the site, probably for firewood, habitats for saproxylic beetles are few, being mainly restricted to wood mould and other residues within hollows in the oaks. The open nature of the site, and the dry sandy soils, results in rapid desiccation of the bark on any dead branches. This greatly reduces the period that they are suitable for the colomsation and rearing of many saproxylic species. Neverthelcss, a total of 55 species of saproxylic Coleoptera were either recorded during my two day visits or were collected in the water traps placed in hollows in the crowns of 15 of the oak pollards from 17-24 June 1997. In the following list of 19 saproxylic species most are placed in the "Nationally Notable (Scarce)" category ofHyman & Parsons (1992, 1994), i e they are known from between 16 and 100 10-km squares of the National Grid. Some of these have been placed in a subdivision, "Notable B" for those species known from 31-100 grid squares. Only one Red Data Book species, Tetrops starkĂź Chevr., was recorded from the site. This is placed in category RDBK Insufficiently Known, as it is a recent addition to the British fauna. During their review of Pasture-Woodlands Harding & Rose (1986) produced a list of 196 predominantly saproxylic species of Coleoptera which they regarded as Indicators of Ancient Woodland. One species, Scraptia testacea Allen, is classed as AW1 - which indicates a species only known recently from ancient woodland, mainly pasturewoodland. A further 8 species are classed as AW3 - for species which, although occurring widely in wooded land, are collectively characteristic of ancient woodland with dead wood habitats.
Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 35
(1999)