46
The Essex Naturalist
H. coriaceum (Dahlbom) - RDB 3
A cleptoparasite of Lindenius albilabris.
There appears to be only five records, all from South Essex. These relate to Bush
Wood on 24th July 1984 (P Hyman), Wanstead Flats and Woodford Golf
Course (Hanson 1992); eight examples at Curtis Mill Green in June 1995 and a
singleton at Dolphin Chalk Quarry, Purfleet, in July of the same year.
Hedychrum niemelai (Linsenmaier) - RDB 3
Cleptoparasitic on Cerceris ruficornis, C. arenaria, C. rybyensis and C.
quinquefasciata.
Listed for North Essex by Falk (1991) without details. All of our recent records
herald from South Essex, however, where the species is evidently well
established at Dolphin Quarry, at Purfleet, Mill Wood Pit at Grays, Broom Hill
(West Tilbury), East Tilbury and Linford Sand Pit.
Chrysis angustula Schenck
A cleptoparasite of Ancistrocerus trifasciatus, Crabro species and probably other
aculeates.
Listed for Hill Wood, Epping Forest in the period 1976 to 1990 by Hanson
(1992). Since then, we have recorded this species at five sites, namely Broaks
Wood (ride in coniferous woodland), Pettyfield Wood, Ridgewell (edge of
deciduous woodland), Marshhouse Decoy Pond (about dead trunks), to the east
of Mill Road at Grays (scrubby grassland) and Mucking Heath (heath grassland
with gorse scrub). Of the host species we have only recorded Crabro cribrarius at
Mucking Heath. Neither Ancistrocerus trifasciatus nor any species of Crabro are
as yet noted from the other sites.
C. helleni Linsenmaier - Notable B
A cleptoparasire of the sphecid wasp Tachysphex pompiliformis.
Listed tor North Essex in Falk (1991) without details. We have no other records.
The host is fairly widely reported.
C. ignita (L.)
Cleptoparasitic on Ancistrocerus parietum and A. scoticus.
We have only three records of this species, from Grays Chalk Pit, Broom Hill at
Chadwell and Ferry Fields at Tilbury suggesting that this popularly illustrated
species is by no means as common as the generalised statements in the various
"field guides" suggest.
C. impressa Schenck
Cleptoparasitic on Ancistrocerus parietinus and A. trifasciatus.
Recorded from Gibbs Pit, Grays, Broom Hill at West Tilbury and from Horsey
Island only. Grassland features at all the capture sites.
C. mediata Linsenmaier
A cleptoparasite of Ancistrocerus trifasciatus and Odynerus spinipes.
Recorded from Rushey Mead E.W.T. N.R. near Bishops Stortford, from Dolphin