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TWO NEW BEES FOR ESSEX
In the last two years an important site near Chadwell, South Essex has produced a very
large list of rare invertebrates as well as an interesting flora. This year the site continues
to turn up new and interesting species, including two bees that seem to be new to the
county, the nationally rare (RDB3) species Andrena florea and the nationally notable
(Na) species Andrena fulvago. I am grateful to John Felton for confirming the
identification of these two species.
Andrena florea has an obligate association with White Bryony Bryonia dioica, the
females gathering pollen from its flowers for the provision of its cells and nests are
usually constructed in exposed sandy soil. Apparently the bee has never been especially
common, and post-1970 records are known for only nine scattered sites in south-east
England (Falk, 1991). Like many other hymenoptera the bee needs bare or sparsely
vegetated sandy soil in sunny situations and the site at Chadwell is perfectly managed in
this respect, consisting of a short unimproved flower-rich grassland vegetation on Thames
terrace gravels which is kept open by rabbit and horse grazing. The presence of old sand
and gravel faces in part of the site, the result of small scale mineral extraction, provides a
rich variety of nesting opportunities. There is a very strong population at the site and the
bee also seems to be occur in smaller numbers elsewhere in the local area near Linford
and at Mucking Heath. Searching for it elsewhere in the county has not resulted in further
records.
The second bee, Andrena fulvago , was formerly very widespread in the south, but has
undergone a substantial decline this century with only about fifteen post-1970 sites
known (Falk, 1991). Females gather their pollen from yellow composites, which are well
represented in the flower-rich grassland at the site. There seems to be quite a good
population of this bee here as well.
Other hymenoptera species of particular note that have been found this year at this site
include the nationally notable wasps Odynerus melanocephalus and Sapyga clavicornis
and bees Leucoglossum xanthopus and Andrena humilis .
Falk, S. 1991: A Review of the scarce and threatened bees, wasps and ants of Great
Britain, Research and Survey in Nature Conservation No. 35, English Nature,
Peterborough.
Peter Harvey
ROCK ROSE IN A ROADSIDE VERGE
The Essex Spider Group held a meeting to record spiders at Garnetts Wood on the 6th
June. The sight of a large quantity of bright yellow flowers on a section of verge by the
side of a lane west of the wood prompted at sudden stop to look more closely. A section
of verge, perhaps about 40 feet in length was covered by a fine display of Rock Rose
Helianthemum nummularium. I believe this is a rare plant in Essex nowadays and usually
only found in small quantity.
Peter Harvey