The Essex Naturalist
81
Colchester, including in the town, up to about 1920, quoting unpublished notes
by R C L Perkins. We know of no other records for the county.
C. quinquefasciata (Rossius) - RDB 3
Nests in the soil, especially in sandy areas. Prey includes curculionids,
chrysomelids and nitidulids (all beetles).
Rare (Harwood 1884). Recorded for North Essex prior to 1970 by Falk (1991).
We have records for five localities, at Mill Wood Pit, Dolphin Quarry, East
Tilbury Silt Lagoons, Broom Hill and Linford Sand Pit and the insect is
evidently quite common at each of these sites.
C. ruficornis (Fabr.)
Nests in sand. Adults capture beetles of the families Curculionidae and
Halticidae.
Generally distributed, on yarrow flowers etc. (Harwood 1884). We know of no
other Essex records.
C. rybyensis (L.)
Nests in flat ground, often where it is quite hard. The recorded prey are bees of
the genera Halictus and Hylaeus.
At thistle and other flowers, varies greatly in size (Harwood 1884). Evidently
now a common species in Essex, with records from Fingringhoe Wick, Grays
Chalk Quarry, Howlands Marsh, Mill Wood Pit, Dolphin Quarry, Dagenham
Chase, several localities in Epping Forest, Broom Hill (West Tilbury), East
Tilbury Silt Lagoons, Linford Sand Pit, Fobbing Hill and Heybridge Gravel Pits.
[Cerceris sabulosa (Panzer) - RDB Appendix
Very rare (Harwood 1884). This is at odds with the statement in Falk (1991) that
the only British record was of a single female collected at Kingsdown, near Deal,
East Kent in August 1861. In the absence of a specimen the record can not be
accepted, although we remain open to the possibility that it may be correct if the
voucher can be traced. The adults provision their nests with various bees.]
Philanthus triangulum (Fabr.) The Bee Wolf - RDB 2
Nests in a deep burrow in the ground, usually flat ground, but sometimes sloping.
Adults provision their larvae principally with honey bees.
This large species is known for its dramatic expansions and contractions of
range. During the hot summer of 1995 it was reported from a colossal number of
British localities at least as far north as Flintshire in Wales. Prior to this, it was a
great rarity. It remains to be seen if the many breeding colonies discovered in
1995 become permanent or simply die out. We have the following Essex records,
arranged chronologically:
1837 Leyton Flats (Mr Harding) - given in Hanson (1992);
1986 Fingringhoe Wick - a nesting aggregation (G Else and M Edwards);
1992 Broom Hill (J C Felton and P R Harvey);