The Essex Naturalist 99
records for only two localities, Broom Hill (West Tilbury) in South Essex and
Great Dunmow railway cutting in North Essex.
S. longulus von Hagens - Notable A
Noted for N Essex in Falk (1991) without further details. The species is a
cleptoparasite of Lasioglossum minutissimum and possibly L. morio and
L. leucopum. There are recent records for four localities, all in Thurrock at
Broom Hill (West Tilbury), East Tilbury silt lagoons, Mill Wood Pit, and
Mucking Heath (Orsett Golf Course).
S. monilicornis (Kirby)
Nicholson (1928) notes the species as common. We have recent records from
nine localities in the East Thames Corridor and three localities in the vicinity of
Bishops Stortford.
S. niger Sichel - RDB3
Not recorded for Essex in Falk (1991). It is a cleptoparasite of Lasioglossum
mining bees, possibly L. morio. Falk states that it is generally exceedingly rare,
with only one post-1970 record outside Kent in the Norfolk Brecks. We have
one male taken at Dolphin Pit in 1995 (CWP). A possible female from grassland
east of Mill Wood Pit requires confirmation.
S. pellucidus Smith
= pilifrons Thomson
Nicholson (1928) notes the species for the Colchester district. There are recent
records for only three localities in Thurrock at East Tilbury silt lagoons, Linford
Sand Pit and Mill Wood Pit. It is a cleptoparasite of the mining bee Andrena
barbilabris, for which we have few recent records.
S. puncticeps Thomson
Nicholson (1928) notes the species as local, Billericay and the Colchester
district. There are recent records from 17 widely spread localities and it seems to
be one of the commonest Sphecodes in the county.
S. reticulatus Thomson - Notable A
Not recorded for Essex in Falk (1991). We have recent records of the species
from five localities in the East Thames Corridor at Broom Hill (West Tilbury),
Dagenham Chase, East Tilbury silt lagoons, Ferry Fields (Tilbury) and Mill
Wood Pit.
S. ruficrus (Erichson) - Notable A
= rubicundus (Hagens)
Falk (1991) states that this species is a cleptoparasite, almost certainly of the
mining bee Andrena labialis. We have recent records for three localities in the
East Thames Corridor at Dagenham Chase, Ferry Fields (Tilbury) and Mill
Wood Pit.