Summary details for Panamomops sulcifrons (Wider, 1834)

Distribution

Widespread in central and southern England but absent in the south-west and very scattered in the north and parts of the east and south. Absent from Ireland and Scandinavia, but otherwise widespread in north-western and central Europe.

Habitat and ecology

Roberts (1985) suggests that P. sulcifrons has a preference for calcareous grassland, and Crocker & Daws (1996) add flood meadows, drier hay meadows and quarries. In Essex the species has been found in woodland edge habitat, flood and tidal debris, landslip, unimproved meadows, Thames Terrace grasslands and grazing marsh grassland. It has also been found in calcareous arable land (M. Shardlow, pers. comm.). Adults may occasionally be found in any month of the year, but there is a large peak of records in late spring and early summer.

Status

Local and usually infrequent.

Threats

Threats are likely to include loss of open habitats to seral succession and agricultural improvement of grasslands.

Management and conservation

Rotational management or low level grazing is probably necessary at many sites to maintain structural diversity and prevent seral succession. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).