Ancistrocerus claripennis (Thomson, 1874)
Spooner (1973) introduced this species to the British list giving characters to separate it from Ancistrocerus parietum (Linnaeus) and A. gazella (Panzer). Identification keys and general biology are given in Nielsen (1932), Spradbery (1973), Felton (unpublished), Richards (1980) and Yeo & Corbet (1995).
Recorded from four 10 km squares in Devon (1958-69), one 10 km square in Herefordshire (pre-1859), two 10 km squares in Leicestershire and one 10 km square in Nottinghamshire (1905-44).
Overseas, found in many parts of Europe (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Austria, Albania, Ukraine, Bulgaria).
Listed as Rare (RDB3) in Shirt (1987) and Falk (1991). However, with no post-1970 records its status should be reviewed.
Unknown, but probably found in a wide variety of habitats including sandy and clay soils, river banks, coastal areas and open urban, parkland and wooded areas.
Probably univoltine; from the few records available, adults have been found from May until September.
Lepidoptera larvae.
A tube-dweller. Nests have been found in an old razor case, the folds in a piece of paper, the bore of a flute and on a shelf behind some books.
Species of angelica and probably sea-holly, bramble, hogweed and thistles.
Probably Chrysis species as in other species of Ancistrocerus.
1998