BR. I. INI . NAI. HIST., <>. 1993 IJ9 



THE RHODODENDRON LACEBUG, STEPHANITIS RHODODENDR1 

 HORVATH, REDISCOVERED IN SOUTH-EAST LONDON 



Richard a. Jones 



13 Bellwood Road, Nunhead, London SEI5 3DE. 



Charged with obtaining some live specimens of the brightly coloured rhododendron 

 leafhopper, Graphocephala fennahi Young, for a BBC television programme, I was 

 initially at a loss to know where some suitable rhododendron bushes might be growing 

 in the immediate neighbourhood. Mr Peter Sibley, Southwark Council's borough 

 ecologist, helpfully suggested the aptly named 'Rhododendron Garden' in Dulwich Park, 

 London SE21 (vice-county 17, 'Surrey'). 



On a visit to the park on 23.vii.1993, Graphocephala fennahi was present in 

 thousands, every sweep of the net disturbing a great cloud of them to circle round 

 and land back on the plants nearby. As one part of a bush was disturbed, the jumping 

 of the insects could be heard distinctly, a soft 'tick' as each leapt into the air; the vast 

 numbers combining to produce a rustling series of clicks. However, the most interesting 

 find of the day was the discovery of several specimens of the rhododendron lacebug 

 Stephanitis rhododendri, swept from the first bush examined. 



A further visit to Dulwich Park on 9.ix.l993, with Mr Peter Hodge, proved the 

 insect to be still present, and quite common on several bushes. It might be interesting 

 to report that the bug was difficult to find using a beating tray, but could be swept 

 from some of the higher branches using a net (the rhododendron bushes in the park 

 are very large, many being over 5 metres tall). Whether this reflects the preferred 

 position of the insect, almost out of reach on the upper limbs of the bushes, is difficult 

 to determine; certainly Graphocephala seldom landed on the beating tray, because 

 it took to the air almost immediately as it fell, to fly off without being seen. It seems 

 unlikely that the lacebugs were flying off quickly; they moved slowly and delicately 

 on their long legs. 



Graphocephala fennahi and Stephanitis rhododendri are introduced species, both 

 being native to North America. But whereas Graphocephala is now almost ubiquitous 

 on British rhododendrons (Dolling, 1991), Stephanitis has had different fortunes. 

 After it was first recorded as British (Distant, 1910), Stephanitis became quite common 

 and widespread over much of England and Wales (Blair, 1948). This initial spread 

 led to some fears from nurserymen, but in recent years it has declined, leading some 

 to suggest that it may even have died out (Dolling, 1991; Judd & Rotherham, 1992). 

 Southwood (1985) commented on the dramatic disappearance of this species, as did 

 Kirby (1987), and since Allen found it in Blackheath in 1960 (Allen, 1962), no recent 

 records have been reported until this year when the bug turned up in an Oxfordshire 

 garden (Campbell, 1993). 



Two other introduced rhododendron bugs were also present in Dulwich Park. 

 Kleidocerys resedae (Panz.) (Lygaeidae) was very common. Although it is a native 

 British species, the rhododendron-feeding form, first recorded in 1952, is thought 

 to be an introduced North American subspecies (Southwood & Leston, 1959). A few 

 specimens of the introduced European leafhopper Placotettix taeniatifrons (Kirschb.) 

 (Cicadellidae) were also present on 9.ix.l993. 



The Rhododendron Garden in Dulwich Park was laid out at the end of the 

 19th century and contained thousands of bushes of many species, varieties and 

 races. At present the park is being surveyed in an attempt to identify the species 

 surviving 100 years later and to compare these with the planting lists from the 

 inception of the gardens. This (unpublished) survey by Mr Brian Wurzell suggests 



