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The Essex Naturalist
SUBFAMILY ASTATINAE
Astata boops (Schrank)
Preys on pentatomid bug nymphs.
Recorded without detail for Wanstead Flats between 1976 and 1990 in Hanson
(1992). Our only other Essex record is from Linford sand pits, amongst gorse
scrub in 1993.
A. pinguis (Dahlbom)
Nests in sandy soil, preying on lygaeid and pentatomid nymphs.
Mike Edwards has recorded this species at Shoeburyness recently, and we have
recorded it as three females on three separate dates from the silt lagoons at East
Tilbury, during 1995. There seems to be no other records from Essex at present.
SUBFAMILY LARRINAE
Tachysphex pompiliformis (Panzer)
Nests in light sandy soils, provisioning the nest with acridid nymphs.
Listed for the Colchester area (as Tachytes pectinipes L.) by Harwood (1884)
without further detail. Recent records are from Ugley Quarry (C Watson),
Colne Point, Chigborough Lakes, Glemsford Pits, Mill Wood Pit, Broom Hill
(West Tilbury), East Tilbury and Linford Sand Pit, a wide spread perhaps
suggesting that this species may be expected to turn up in many other areas of
the county.
SUBFAMILY TRYPOXYLINAE
Trypoxylon attenuatum Smith
Nests in a variety of cavities, including woodworm Anobium holes, cut stems,
hollow roots, etc. provisioning the nest with spiders.
Another widely spread and probably under-recorded species. Recorded without
detail for Wanstead Flats between 1976 and 1990 in Hanson (1992). Also noted
from Mill Wood Pit at Grays, Dolphin Quarry at Purfleet, Broom Hill (West
Tilbury), East Tilbury, Linford sand Pit, Fingringhoe Wick (G Else), Walton
Naze and Mucking Heath.
T. clavicerum Lepeletier & Serville
Nests in a variety of cavities, including woodworm Anobium holes, cut stems,
hollow roots, etc. provisioning the nest with spiders.
Listed for the Colchester area by Harwood (1884) without further detail.
Recorded without detail for Wanstead Flats and Woodford Golf Course
between 1976 and 1990 in Hanson (1992). We have records from East Ham
N.R. in 1985, Roding Valley Meadows in 1985 (M Hanson), South Woodford
in 1987 and then post-1989 at Weeleyhall Wood, Rushey Mead N.R., Mill
Wood Pit, Dolphin Quarry, Dagenham Chase, East Tilbury silt lagoons and
Ferry Fields.