44
The Essex Naturalist
Nomad bees (Family Anthophoridae)
There have been several new records of the Nationally Rare (RDB3) Nomada
fulvicornis, a cleptoparasite on mining bees in the A. carbonaria group (in Essex
Andrena bimaculata, A. spectabilis, A. tibialis). Roger Payne collected one male
on the 9th May 1997 at Goshams Farm between Tilbury and East Tilbury; Neil
Harvey collected another male at Rowhedge Pits on the 2nd April 1998; Adrian
Knowles collected two females at Middlewick Ranges on the 25th April 1998
and the author collected one female at Barking PFA lagoons on the 13th May
1998, a site where A. spectabilis is quite numerous. At Goshams Farm the most
likely host is A. spectabilis and at Middlewick Ranges both A. bimaculata and A.
tibialis have been recorded.
Bumblebees (Family Apidae)
Comprehensive searches during 1997 to locate extant populations of the Shrill
carder bee Bombus sylvarum in Britain only resulted in records at three sites
(Mike Edwards BWARS AGM). This year several more sites in England have
been located, including two in Essex at Wat Tyler Country Park where the
bumblebee was found by the author in 1993, and at Benfleet Downs Country
Park. The species was also recorded in numbers during August 1994 at the
doomed Ferry Fields site at Tilbury and Ted Benton saw probably two workers at
Broom Hill in 1996.
In order for the bumblebee populations to remain viable quite large areas of
relatively unfragmented habitat seem necessary, and the whole area between
Tilbury and Benfleet is probably important for the survival of this Short-list
Biodiversity Action Plan species. Very flower-rich grassland complexes which
can provide forage sources throughout the season seem very important,
especially in August when most suitable flowers are over or grasslands are cut for
hay. Grazing throughout the summer removes too much forage and management
involving cutting during the season is disastrous. The presence of scrub cut back
in winter may be important, the edges providing conditions favoured hy Red
Bartsia, an important forage source during August. Scrub may also provide
suitable conditions for nesting but more work is needed to unravel the ecological
requirements of this bee.
References
Baker, D.B., 1994. On the nomenclature of two sibling species of the Andrena tibialis (Kirby, 1802) group
(Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Entomologist's Gazette 45: 281-290.
Day, M.C., 198S. Spider Wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae). Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects 6
(part 4). Royal Entomological Society.
Edwards, R., (Ed) 1997. Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland (Part 1). Biological
Records Centre.
- , 1998. Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland (Part 2). Biological Records Centre.
Falk, S., 1991. A review of the scarce and threatened bees, wasps and ants of Great Britain. Research and survey
in nature conservation, number 35. Nature Conservancy Council.
Harvey, F.R., 1997. Interesting Hymenoptera records for 1996 & 1997. Essex Naturalist 14 (New series): 31-43.