Review of the Wildlife of Epping Forest in 2000
Mammals
Fallow Deer Dama dama are turning up more regularly further south in the Forest, as far down as
Bury Wood, Chingford (TQ395955). The records are not only for the odd buck but there are lots of
docs now being seen, including several records from around the Corporation's Offices at The Warren
(TQ409956). This could be significant for the Forest if this trend continues and their numbers begin
to approach those in the 1960s (Hoy 2001) in these areas of the Forest.
References
GOODEY, B. (1998) Essex Moth Group Newsletter No. 9
GOODEY, B. (1999) Essex Moth Group Newsletter No. 13
HOY, K. (2001) Some observations on changes in the wildlife of Epping Forest since 1939. Essex
Naturalist (New series) 18: 113-120.
ISMAY, J. (2001) Diptera in Epping Forest. Essex Naturalist (New series) 18: 105-112.
KIBBY, G. (1992) Fungi. I/r. Epping Forest: through the eye of the naturalist. Essex Naturalist (New series)
11. Hanson, M.W. (ed) Essex Field Club.
SAMUELS, A.J. (2001) Andrena cineraria in Epping Forest. Essex Naturalist (New scries) IN: 55-56.
The Grey Mining Bee Andrena cineraria refound in Epping Forest
AMANDA SAMUELS
Corporation of London, The Warren, Loughton, IG10 4RW
Andrena cineraria was recorded in the Epping Forest area by Nicholson (1928) who described its
location as 'Loughton, Woodford etc,' It appears to have remained unrecorded since then and the
bee was assumed to be extinct in the county.
Warren Hill Heath (TQ410954) is a pleasant small heath within very easy walking distance of the
Epping Forest administrative headquarters (The Warren). On 1st April 1998 I happened to be eating
lunchtime sandwiches there when I noticed some rather large, dark grey bees accessing holes in the
ground. (It is remarkable how often interesting finds turn up when you arc not looking for them). A
closer look revealed a distinctive ring of white hairs around the thorax. Back in the office, referring
to Chinery (1986), the bee seemed a very good fit to Andrena cineraria and even had a common
name 'Grey Mining Bee'. I made a note of it and vowed to look out for them again. Casually
mentioning the bees to Peter Harvey the following year I was astonished to discover that A. cineraria
had not been recorded in Essex since 1928, so of course the record needed confirmation. In late May
1999 I showed Peter where I had seen them but the bees were not apparent - he finally caught one the
following year, on 10 April 2000 (see plate 1). As the day warmed up, more and more individuals
could be seen - perhaps twenty to thirty in the air together; they appealed all to be male and mostly
flying over heather and an open area of ground within a fairly restricted area.
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Essex Naturalist (New Series) 18 (2001)