The Essex Naturalist 85
A close relative of C. succinctus, from which it was formally separated by Yarrow
(1954). C. halophilus is a speciality of the upper Saltmarsh, where the adults have
a close association with Sea Aster from which the females collect pollen.
Records of C. succincta at flowers of Eryngium maritimum from the Colchester
district (Harwood 1884) and as C. glutinans fond of Aster tripolium and Sea Holly
in the Colchester district (Nicholson 1928) almost certainly refer to this species.
There are recent records in South Essex from Shoebury Old Ranges, Woodham
Fenn and in the East Thames Corridor at East Tilbury, West Tilbury Marshes,
Fobbing Marshes and Eastbrookend (a curious occurrence of one male at flowers
of Fleabane some considerable distance from Saltmarsh). In north-east Essex
there are recent records from Bradwell-on-Sea, Colne Point and Dovercourt.
C. marginatus Smith - Notable A
Typically associated with wind-blown sands of coastal dunes where flower-rich
areas are required for adult foraging, it is noted from the Colchester district by
Nicholson (1928). There are recent records from Dovercourt in North Essex and
silt lagoons at East Tilbury in South Essex where it was present in numbers
foraging at Melilotus flowers.
C. similis Schenck
= picistigma Thomson
Noted as C. picistigma by Nicholson (1928) from the Colchester district. Recent
records are from Chigborough Lakes in North Essex and Dolphin Quarry, East
Tilbury and Eastbrookend in the East Thames Corridor in South Essex.
C. succinctus (L.)
Noted by Nicholson (1928) as "the commonest species; frequents heath in
heathy districts, but is fond of Aster tripolium and sea-holly in the Colchester
district". As already mentioned under C. halophilus this latter reference almost
certainly refers to C. halophilus and not C. succinctus. C. succinctus is typically
associated with dry ericaceous heaths and moorland where the females collect
pollen from heather species. Areas of heather heathland in Essex are today
reduced to mete fragments and the bee is now certainly very rare in the county.
It has been searched for in most of the surviving heather areas and still occurs at
Tiptree Heath in North Essex and the Backwarden and Thundersley Great
Common in South Essex. There is also an interesting record of a male collected
at Barking in 1990 by L. Clemens, determined by John Felton, a long way from
any heather areas.
SUBFAMILY HYLAEINAE
Genus: Hylaeus Yellow-faced bees. Eleven of the twelve British species have
been recorded for Essex, but two of these ate old unconfirmed records. We have
recent records for eight species.
Hylaeus (Hylaeus) communis Nylander
Noted as generally distributed by Nicholson (1928). Widely distributed and