The Essex Naturalist
39
Farm Pits and Mill Wood Pit in Thurrock, Warren Pit near Woodham Walter
and at Alphamstone in North Essex.
The Nationally Scarce (Notable B) Andrena spectabilis is widespread in the
East Thames Corridor, with new records by Colin Plant and myself from Barking
Levels, Dolphin Pit, Gravelpit Farm Pits and West Thurrock PFA lagoons. The
species has formerly been recorded as A. carbonaria, A. pilipes and A. riparia but
is now split into two species A. nigrospina and A. spectabilis (Baker, 1994).
Records of A. nigrospina from Mill Wood Pit contained in a report by Penny
Anderson Associates which was submitted with a revised Chafford Hundred
planning application must at present remain unconfirmed. I have previously
found A. spectabilis to be widespread and common in this locality. Andrena
tibialis (Notable A) was again found at this site flying around oak catkins at the
edge of Mill Wood on 5th May 1996 and one female was taken by Colin Plant
on 8th May 1996 at Alsa Sand Pit, apparently the first record for North Essex.
Mining bees and cuckoo bees (Family Halictidae)
The very local and attractive species Lasioglossum laevigatum was taken in a
number of new sites. At Alphamstone and the edge of Warren Pit near
Woodham Walter the species was present in some numbers and individual
specimens were also taken at Mill Wood Pit in South Essex and Broaks Wood in
North Essex. One female Lasioglossum lativentris was taken at Mill Wood Pit on
5th May 1996. Although nationally widespread, the species is very rare in the
county and this is the first confirmed record. A male was subsequently taken at
the nearby West Thurrock PFA lagoons in August 1996. The Nationally Rare
(RDB3) Lasioglossum pauperatum is turning out to be widespread in parts of the
East Thames Corridor and further specimens have been taken in 1996 by Colin
Plant at Barking Levels and by R.G. Payne at Gravelpit Farm Pits. In 1997 the
species was found to be quite numerous at Goshams Farm between East and
West Tilbury.
Lasioglossum pauxillum (Nationally Scarce, Notable A) was numerous at
Alphamstone in North Essex and a single female was taken in August 1996 at
West Thurrock PFA lagoons, not too far from a bank to the east of Mill Lane at
Mill Wood Pit, where the species will almost certainly be lost to development.
The Nationally Scarce (Notable B) Lasioglossum puncticolle has been taken at
several new localities e.g. at Frinton-on-Sea by Jerry Bowdrey but of particular
interest is one female taken inland near Newney Green (Chelmsford) by David
Carr. All other recent records have been coastal or near the coast. One female
Lasioglossum quadrinotatum (Notable A) taken at Alphamstone is the second
confirmed Essex record and on 25th May 1996 this site also contained the scarce
Notable B Lasioglossum xanthopum in some numbers. A single female of this
large attractive Lasioglossum was also taken at Alsa Sand Pit on 1.3th June 1996,
although other county records suggest the species is normally associated with old
flower-rich grasslands.