Results
A total of 71 records were received for 2004, from 27 recorders. The flyer in the newsletter
generated the largest number of records from a relatively small number of recorders.
Most importantly it stimulated several active recorders of larger Brachycera to send me
records dating back for several years. The Essex Moth Group email forum and word of
mouth both generated a small number of records.
The page on the Essex Field Club website was responsible for 20 records, but nine of
these were from out of county, including one from Canada - a light hearted contact from
a naturalist in Essex County, Ontario.
Many of the records, especially those from gardens, included details of the plant species
that were being used as nectar sources by the beeflies. Lungwort Pulmonaria sp., Grape
Hyacinth Muscari sp., Aubrieta, Heather Erica sp. and Wall Flower Cheiranthus cheiri
were each noted as food plants at two sites, while Phlox, Sallow (Salix cinerea), Forget-
me-not Myosotis sp. and Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea were also mentioned.
Figure 1. Updated distribution maps for Bombylius major, 10km square and tetrad
Spots mark post-1990 records and crosses pre-1990
Conclusions
As expected this species has turned out to be widespread in the county, the few ten
kilometre squares where it has not yet been recorded are likely to yield records given
some targeted surveying. However the detail of the two kilometre square map shows
that the distribution is markedly patchy, with fairly clear clusters around the major towns.
This is unlikely to reflect the true distribution of the species, as it is likely to occur
almost everywhere that supports Andrena bees in reasonable quantity, including the
edges of ploughed fields, brownfield sites and flower beds in parks and gardens. It
might reflect how important gardens may be to this species in relation to the modern
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Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 46, January 2005