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THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Epeolus, Latr. Local, but sometimes common where they
occur ; frequent ragwort and mouse-ear hawkweed in July and
August, and sting severely. Variegatus, L. (parasitic on Colletes
fodiens and picistigma), Billericay, Colchester district. Cruciger,
Panz, (on C. succinctus) ; Billericay, Colchester district.
Melecta, Latr, (parasitic on Anthophora). Frequent flowers
and are fond of the wild geraniums ; sting severely. Luctuosa, Sc.
(on A. retusa), Colchester district, rare. Armata, Panz, (on
A. pilipes), Billericay, Hale End, Colchester district.
Anthophora, Latr. Often form large colonies, which may
exist for many years ; burrow in the ground (especially cliffs
and banks), walls, or dead wood. They have a rapid flight,
and their hum is shrill. They are parasitised by the coleopterous
genus Meloe, as well as by Melecta (see above). Retusa, L.,
Billericay, Colchester district. Pilipes, Fab., Billericay, Hale
End, Colchester district. Both these species burrow in the soil,
especially in clay banks and form colonies ; the two others are
solitary. Furcata, Panz., Billericay, Hale End, Colchester
district ; burrows in old posts and rotten trees ; frequents
flowers of the Labiatae by preference. Quadrimaculata, Panz.,
Billericay (on white dead nettle) ; nests in sandy banks and is
fond of the flowers of Lamium purpureum.
Eucera, Scop. Burrows in stiff clay soil, often to the depth
of 8 in. ; passes the winter as a larva in its cell ; sometimes
forms large colonies. Frederick Smith, in his Cat. of British
Apidae (1891) says that "a colony of great extent was found
about a mile beyond Southend in a sloping bank, at the foot of
which in October, several years in succession, many specimens of
Meloe rugosus were found," and he had reason to suspect the
beetle to be parasitic on the bee ; partial to Leguminosae: and
Ajuga reptans. Longicornis, L., Billericay, Colchester district
(abundant), Southend, Walton-on-Naze.
Family IV. Megachilidae. The females collect pollen on
the under side of the abdomen and nest in old willow trees, under
stones, in the ground, in snail shells, or in holes in walls.
Megachile, Latr. Cells made of pieces cut from leaves and
flowers and cemented together with a secretion so far as the inner
layers are concerned, the outer layers being loose ; parasitised
by Caelioxys. Maritima, K., nests in the ground and is partial
to bramble flowers; St. Osyth, Southend, Walton-on-Naze.