Irish Robberfly (Machimus cowini)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Invertebrate > insect - true fly (Diptera) > Soldier fly or ally |
| Red List Status: | Endangered (Not Relevant) [EN(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022) |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Machimus cowini |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | Hobby, 1946 |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | Drake, 2017 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | First English record was in 2006 from Foulshaw Moss SSSI, Westmorland; only subsequent records from two other sites (11km apart) in 2013 and 2021. |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Whilst distribution is limited and there is no specific habitat niche identified, surveying of these sites to determine population size, ecology and spread would be useful. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | This more a possibility than a definite 'Yes'. Habitats where the species has been recorded in England (and Ireland/Isle of Man) are reported as scrubby areas, lanes with bramble and bracken, grassland dunes with bare sand and low scrubby vegetation. English records from one site in Westmorland are from lowland raised mire with birch although this is reported as being atypical. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 2. Biological status assessment exists |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Low - Life history factor/s |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Opportunistic - insufficient |
| Species Comments: | Restricted distribution in England, records are sparse from three sites which may be far enough apart to be classed as fragmented. |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Tailored surveys of potential habitat in and around known localities to determine the population and species distribution, thus identifying areas if M. artriticus is present.
Action targets: 3. National Monitoring Plan agreed and implemented
Action type: Targeted monitoring
Duration: 2 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 5 sites
High priority sites: Foulshaw Moss SSSI (SD458836), Humphrey Head (SD392733/SD389740), Heald Brow (SD468740/SD470737)
Comments: A tailored survey within the known flight period to encompass the areas where previous sightings have been made along with any adjacent/linked areas with similar habitats. As there is a large gap in records it would be pertinent to see if populations are still present and if so where they are within the range of habitats before specific actions can be identified.
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Study of the biology and habitat needs at sites where populations are confirmed from Action 1 in an attempt to ascertain whether more targeted actions can be implemented or are necessary to support these populations.
Action targets: 2. Biological status assessment exists
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 5 sites
High priority sites: Foulshaw Moss SSSI (SD458836), Humphrey Head (SD392733/SD389740), Heald Brow (SD468740/SD470737) or any other sites that become apparent from Action 1.
Comments: Needed to allow further surveys in potential sites and to allow more targeted approaches to protect existing populations.
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Implementation of rotational hedge and scrub cutting in areas identified from Action 1 and 2
Action targets: 2. Biological status assessment exists
Action type: Habitat management
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 5 sites
High priority sites: Foulshaw Moss SSSI (SD458836), Humphrey Head (SD392733/SD389740), Heald Brow (SD468740/SD470737) or any other sites that become apparent from Action 1.
Comments: On the Isle of Man the species is associated with scrubby places, including lanes with hedges of bracken and bramble along with sand and gravel pits with gorse and bramble. Until Actions 1 & 2 are completed it could be assumed that similar habitats could be utilised in England.
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.