Bradysia strenua, (WINNERTZ, 1867)

Menzel, Frank, Smith, Jane E. & Chandler, Peter J., 2006, The sciarid fauna of the British Isles (Diptera: Sciaridae), including descriptions of six new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 146 (1), pp. 1-147 : 62-63

BRADYSIA STRENUA ( WINNERTZ, 1867)

Synonyms: annulata absoloni (Bezzi, 1911) ; ardua (Grzegorzek, 1884) .

Literature: Edwards (1925a): 540 [as Sciara (?) varians , misidentification];? Edwards (1938): 201 [as Sciara (Neosciara) varians , misidentification]; Freeman (1983b): 33 [as Bradysia (?) brunnipes , misidentification]; Laurence (1994): 118; Laurence (1996): 87 [all as Bradysia brunnipes , misidentification]; Menzel (1998): 20.

New to Irish list.

Material examined: Annahala bog, Gearagh , Cork, 1 male, 13.x.1990, de Courcy Williams leg. ( NMID) . Alconbury , Cambridgeshire, 1 male, 3.v.1976, J.H. Cole leg. ( PJCB) . Biggleswade, Bedfordshire , 1 male, 6.vii.1927, Edwards leg. ( BMNH) . Bollin Valley, Cheshire , 2 males, 16.v.1928 (reared), Britten leg. ( BMNH) . Buckingham Palace Garden, Greater London , 2 males, 20.xi.1995; 1 male, 18.vii.−3.viii.1997, all D.J. Carter & C.W. Plant leg. ( PPCM) . Coombe Abbey Country Park , Coventry, Warwickshire, 1 male, 28.viii.2003, Menzel leg. ( DEI) . Freshfield, Merseyside , 1 male, 1.vii.1932 (reared), Britten leg. ( BMNH) . Glasshouse Crops Research Station, Littlehampton , West Sussex, 1 male, 30.iv.1965; 1 male, 3.v.1965, all Gurney leg. ( HRI) . Greywell Fen , Hampshire, 1 male, 20.vi.2002, Chandler leg. ( PPCM) . Hogley , Oxfordshire, 1 male, 14.ii.1909; 1 male, 20.ii.1909 (all reared), all Hamm leg. ( BMNH) . Kirton , Lincolnshire, 4 males, xii.1924 (reared), Miles leg. ( BMNH) . Leeds, West Yorkshire , 2 males, xii.1928, Taylor leg. ( BMNH) . Letchworth , Hertfordshire, 1 male, v.1917; 1 male, vi.1917, all Edwards leg. ( BMNH, ZFMK) . Lifton Park , Devon, 4 males, 29.x.1935 (reared), Bradshaw leg. ( BMNH) . Marston , Oxfordshire, 1 male, 3.iv.1933 (reared), Basden leg. ( NMS) . Oxwich , Swansea / Abertawe, 1 male, 12.vii.1989, Holmes, Boyce & Reed leg. ( PPWM) . Sale, Greater Manchester, 3 males, 23.ii.1928, Buller leg. ( BMNH) . Taplow , Buckinghamshire, 3 males, xi.1913 (reared), no collector detail ( BMNH) . Theale Lake, Berkshire , 1 male, 9.vii.2003, Chandler leg. ( PPCM) . The Loke, Norwich , Norfolk, 1 male, 10.vi.1987; 1 male, 15.ix.1987; 1 male, v.1992; 1 male, 23.v.−25.v.1993, all Laurence leg. ( PBLN) .

Ecological notes: found in broad-leaved woodland; alder carr woodland and sedge beds by river; partly wooded lake margin; ditch along meadow hedge; calcareous valley; Phragmites ; bog; grounds of horticultural research station; gardens. Reared from decaying narcissus bulbs, potatoes, mole nest, angelica root, old ragwort stems. ii, iv–xii.