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The Essex Naturalist
Hale End, etc. It still appears to be quite common and widely distributed with
recent records from 29 localities across the county.
L. (Dialictus) smeathmanellum (Kirby)
Recorded from the Colchester district by Harwood (1884) without further
detail. Nicholson (1928) also gives the Colchester district and notes the species
as common, a situation probably still true today. There are recent records from
eleven localities but the bee is almost certainly very under-recorded and to be
found for example associated with houses and walls in gardens.
Genus Sphecodes. cuckoo bees. Sphecodes are cleptoparasites, mainly on species
of Halictus and Lasioglossum but also some Andrena. Of the 16 species occurring
in the British Isles, 14 have now been recorded for Essex and we have recent
records for 12 of these.
Sphecodes crassus Thomson - Notable B
A cleptoparasite of mining bees of the genus Lasioglossum, associated with L.
nitidiusculum, L. parvulum, L. pauxillum and L. fulvicorne. There are recent
records from seven localities in the East Thames Corridor at Broom Hill (West
Tilbury), Dolphin Pit, Fobbing Marshes, Mill Wood Pit, Mucking Heath (Orsett
Golf Course), Thorndon Park South and Thundersley Great Common. Hanson
(1992) notes the species from Wanstead Flats.
S. ephippius (L.)
= divisus (Kirby)
Recorded from the Colchester district by Harwood (1884). There are recent
records from 27 widely distributed localities and the species is by far the
commonest Sphecodes in the county.
S. ferruginatus von Hagens - Notable B
Noted by Nicholson (1928) as having been taken in the Colchester district, on
Lasioglossum fulvicorne. There are no recent records.
S. fasciatus von Hagens
= affinis von Hagens
= geoffrellus Kirby
Nicholson (1928) notes the species from the Colchester district. There are
recent records from 13 widely distributed localities.
S. gibbus (L.)
Recorded by Harwood (1884) from the Colchester district. Nicholson (1928)
states that this is the commonest species and gives "High Beach, Hale End,
etc.". There are recent records from only six localities; Broom Hill (West
Tilbury), East Tilbury and Mill Wood Pit in Thurrock, by the River Chelmer
near Maldon, Walton Naze and Wanstead Flats (Hanson 1992).
S. hyalinatus von Hagens
Noted by Nicholson (1928) from the Colchester district. There are recent