Some interesting aculeate Hymenoptera records for 1999-2000
The Nationally Scarce (Notable B) Andrena varians is another much-declined species. Adrian
Knowles collected one male at Donyland Heath (TM0121) on 4 May 1999. Baker (1994) clarified
confusion over two closely related species Andrena nigrospina and A. spectabilis, which had
previously been known in Britain as Andrena carbonaria or A. pilipes. A. spectabilis has proved to
be widespread and fairly frequent at some coastal locations in Essex, especially along the East
Thames Corridor. On the other hand A. nigrospina is believed to be an inland species, and although
there are a number of old records scattered in southern England, there extremely few confirmed
modern records. In 1995 and on further occasions Penny Anderson Associates recorded A. nigrospina
at Mill Wood Pit and in other parts of the Chafford Hundred development area (Tattersfield et al.
1996). However this record requires confirmation, because they did not record A. spectabilis, which
the author had found to be frequent at the site and whose identity has been confirmed by George Else
at the Natural History Museum. The A. nigrospina records listed in Harvey & Plant (1996) were a
misidentification for A. spectabilis. It was therefore with surprise when the author collected two
males of Andrena nigrospina flying around Hoary Cress Cardaria draba flowers at Wennington
riverside (TQ5279) on 19 May 1999, an occasion when many more males and females were seen.
Unfortunately the site will be destroyed by landfill and restoration work, and it can only be hoped
that the species is able to survive elsewhere in the vicinity.
Whereas Panurgus calcaratus is widespread and frequent in the East Thames Corridor, P banksianus
appears to be very rare in Essex, confined to unimproved heathland and grassland sites such as those
found on old commons. Previously recorded at Wanstead Flats in Epping Forest (Hanson 1992) and
Broom Hill (West Tilbury) it has now been collected by Adrian Knowles at Middlewick Ranges
(TM0022) on 4 June 1998 and in old flower-rich grassland at the Tilbury EWT Centre adjacent to
the Tilbury Common at Fort Road (TQ6576) on 10 July 2000.
Mining bees and cuckoo bees (Subfamily Halictinae)
Adrian Knowles collected one male of the Nationally Rare (RDB3) Lasioglossum brevicorne at
Middlewick Ranges (TM0022) on 16 August 1999, the first record for the county and a further
indication of the importance of the invertebrate fauna at Middlewick Ranges. Lasioglossum
cupromicans is typically a northern species very rare in the south. However the author has now
found the species at a number of brownfield sites in south-eastern England possibly associated with
Rose-bay Willowherb Chamaenerion angustifolium (Harvey 2000). The most recent records are of
six males and fourteen females at Temple Mills in Waltham Forest (TQ 3686 and TQ3786) in July
and August 1999, and eleven males and two females at Barking (TQ4682) between 27 July and 14
August 2000. Lasioglossum lativentre is a rare species in Essex. Adrian Knowles has collected one
male at Bedfords Park (TQ5292) on 12 August 1999 and one female at Old Heath Cliff Paddock
(TM0123) on 17 July and again on 7 August 2000. Lasioglossum pauperatum is a Nationally Rare
(RDB3) species which is currently widespread and sometimes numerous in south Essex in the East
Thames Corridor, although many sites are disappearing under concrete or are otherwise being
destroyed. It has continued to be recorded at south Essex sites in 1999 and 2000 in Barking, Havering
and Thurrock. Records of the Nationally Scarce (Notable A) Lasioglossum pauxillum continue to
be made at new sites in the East Thames Corridor and Colchester areas, possibly as a result of a
cunent expansion in range in southeastern England. Lasioglossum zonulus is extremely rare in Essex,
recorded only as one female from Cast Tilbury silt lagoons on 5 September 1993, one female at
Northwick, Canvey (TQ7683) on 22 March 2000 and single males between 23 August and 9
September 1999 and again on 26 July 2000.
The Nationally Scarce (Notable A) Sphecodes longulus has proved to be widespread in south Essex
near the Thames. At the Wennington silt lagoon (TQ5279) the author collected three males and one
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Essex Naturalist (New Series) 18 (2001)