Species Account for Oliarus panzeri

National status: Nb
Essex RDB: Listed



Additional Phenology Data

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Essex Red Data List comment
National trend: Increase

Species text
The lace-winged planthopper Oliarus panzeri is a very local planthopper confined to southern counties of England with almost half the British records originating from Kent. The ecology of the species is somewhat obscure. It has been found on a number of occasions in areas which are periodically waterlogged, but which dry out and crack in the summer, and there is the possibility that the cracks gave the insect the opportunity for ovipositing below ground level. The nymphs, like those of other Cixiids, are believed to be root feeders, although the foodplants are unknown. Improved drainage of seasonally or irregularly flooded grassland may be a more serious threat in at least some areas. O. panzeri would seem to be dependant on minor habitat features, and its retention at a site is will require the maintenance of such features through any management programme. The optimal sites for the insect are probably poorly drained corners of pastures close to the hedges utilised by the adult insects, and perhaps also reasonably near to paths or gates where there is some poaching. Any such areas which dry and crack in summer should be regarded as potentially interesting habitat features, though they may appear rather uninspiring from the viewpoint of general conservation. The exact management of the grassland is probably relatively unimportant, since the nymph is subterranean and the adult fairly mobile. Very heavy grazing and poaching is to be avoided, but otherwise stocking levels can probably be fairly flexible (Kirby, 1992). References

Habitats

Recorded management for locations with Oliarus panzeri

Recorded substrate and hydrology for locations with Oliarus panzeri

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