Abdera flexuosa (Paykull, 1799)

A widespread Western Palaearctic species known from the Pyrenees to Italy and Ukraine in the south, and extending north into the UK, Denmark and the Baltic countries where it reaches far above the Arctic Circle in Norway and Sweden and extends east into parts of Russia. It is locally common from lowlands to lower mountain altitudes in central and northern regions but otherwise very local and rather scarce. In the UK it is widespread but local throughout England and Wales, and very local and generally uncommon in the Scottish Highlands and in Northern Ireland. The typical habitat is damp woodland, carr and heathland where both adults are associated with fungi on a range of deciduous trees, mostly Alder (Alnus glutinosa L.) but also oaks (Quercus L.), Birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and willows (Salix L.) among others. Adults are present year-round; they overwinter under bar or among decaying wood and are active from March until September or October and they peak in abundance during May and June. Reproduction occurs in spring and early summer and larvae develop in a range of sporocarps including Inonotus radiatus (Sowerby) (Alder Bracket). I. dryadeus (Pers.: Fr.) (Oak Bracket), Fomes fomentarius (L.) Fr. (Hoof Fungus), Fistulina hepatica (Schaeff.) Ex Fr. (Beefsteak Fungus) and much more rarely in Phellinus pini (Brot.) on pine. Adults are nocturnal, they may be found on bar low down on trunks or on fallen branches on damp ground, and they often sit for extended periods on the surface of sporocarps, they usually occur in numbers and mating pairs are usually present in spring or early summer. They fly well and so may occur in flight interception traps, when alarmed they can run very fast or may take flight or drop to the ground, in which case they can be very difficult to find.