present in some numbers along the south edge of the wood together with the Nationally
Scarce hoverflies Triglyphus primus (Notable B) and Pipizella virens (Notable B).
Two of the most remarkable records have been of two species of fly from the edge of the
wood. On the 22nd June 1994 I found a male of the Nationally Vulnerable fly solder fly
Stratiomys longicornis (RDB2) along the footpath at the south edge of the wood. This
species is supposed to be associated with coastal saltmarshes and highly brackish pools
and ditches on coastal levels, especially the Thames marshes. It is difficult to decide
where this individual came from, the nearest extensive grazing marshes being at Purfleet
and Rainham to the west and Fobbing to the east. There are the nearer remnants of
grazing marsh and Saltmarsh at West Thurrock and Stone Ness, and the grazing marsh
that still exists at Little Thurrock and the Ferry Fields at Tilbury.
On the 16th July I took a female of the Nationally Rare (RDB3) robber fly Eutolmus
rufibarbis again by the footpath on the southern edge of the wood. This fly has its
strongholds in the Breckland and some of the southern heathlands. It is thought to
require large blocks of heathland, but there is certainly none in the vicinity or even the
county! This appears to be a new county record and a most remarkable occurrence.
The edges and clearings of woods are essential to their wildlife interest. The small
surviving part of Mill wood has no clearings inside and the northern edge is of little
interest because the land has been banked up with a soil mound and is not south facing.
The proposed construction of a road to replace the existing footpath would totally destroy
the wildlife interest of this wood.
Immediately to the south of the western edge of the wood is a small area of gently sloping
sandy ground where the Nationally Scarce (Notable B) bee Dasypoda altercator is
nesting. The females are most impressive with their enormous pollen brushes. The most
notable bees and wasps recorded elsewhere to the west and south of Mill Wood are the
chrysid wasp Hedychrum niemalei (Rare- RDB3) and its host Cerceris quinquefasciata
(Rare- RDB3), the Bee Wolf Philanthus triangulum (Vulnerable- RDB2), Smicromyrme
rufipes (Notable B), Hylaeus cornutus (Notable A), Andrena bimaculata (Notable B),
Andrena florea (Rare- RDB3), Andrena pilipes (Notable B), Andrena trimmerana
(Notable B), Lasioglossum malachurum (Notable B),Lasioglossum xanthopum (Notable
B), Melitta tricincta (Notable B) and its cleptoparasite Nomada flavopicta (Notable B),
Nomada fucata (Notable A), Stelis ornatula (RDB3) and the Blue Carpenter bee Ceratina
cyanea (Rare- RDB3). The Blue Carpenter bee also occurs elsewhere to the south and
west of the area. This is the only known Essex locality for this bee which has not
previously been recorded in the county for about a century. It occurs in some numbers,
sometimes in hundreds, foraging on yellow composite, bramble and rose flowers. This is
apparently extremely unusual, the bee normally being found in very small numbers at a
site, indicating the presence of a large population. Stelis ornatula is a cleptoparasite of
the small megachilid bee Hoplitis claviventris which seems to present in small numbers
towards the southern end of the site. All Stelis are rare and this species does not appear to
have been recorded in the county since early this century. The spider Zodarion italicum
known in Britain only from South Essex and Kent occurs in some numbers in the area.
The southern slopes are covered with a flower-rich grassland where the Nationally Rare
and Scarce bees Ceratina cyanea (Rare- RDB3), Andrena fulvago (Notable A), Andrena
humilis (Notable B), Lasioglossum malachurum (Notable B), Lasioglossum xanthopum
(Notable B), Melitta tricincta (Notable B), Nomada flavopicta (Notable B), Nomada
fulvicornis (Rare- RDB3), Nomada pleurosticta (Notable A), Sphecodes crassus (Notable
B), Sphecodes reticulatus (Notable A) and Sphecodes rubicundus (=ruficrus) (Notable A)
all occur. I have not attempted to record the flora of the site comprehensively, but I have