Insects of dry grassland
A variety of uncommon insects have already colonised the new dry grasslands:
- Wasps and bees: nationally vulnerable (Red Data Book 2) or rare (RDB3) species include:
- Andrena alfkanella, an RDB3 solitary bee with only four Norfolk records prior to 2013
- Andrena hattorfiana, an RDB3 solitary bee that is dependant on scabious pollen
- Mimesa bicolor, an RDB2 wasp with fewer than 10 national records from 2000-13
- Andrena minutuloides, first confirmed Norfolk site since the 1870s
- Flies: nationally or locally uncommon species include:
- Breck Robberfly (Machimus arthriticus), an RDB1 species (endangered in the UK)
- Leucophora personata, apparently the first recorded site in Norfolk
- Platypalpus infectus, nationally scarce
- Moths: nationally uncommon species include:
- Marbled Clover (Heliothis viriplaca), RDB3
- Lemon Bell (Thiodia citrana), nationally scarce
- Rosy-striped Knot-horn (Oncocera semirubella), nationally scarce
- Ants: Yellow Meadow Ant was first found in 2015. This species builds ant hills which may increase the habitat diversity in the grassland and so help other invertebrates and some plant species. Three other ant species were found in 2012
Bee on mignonette
Andrena hattorfiana (N Owens)
Andrena marginata, a nationally scarce species found on the chalk grassland at Abbey Farm (N Owens)
