Species Account

Interpretation of distribution maps

Hedychrum niemelai
Linsenmaier, 1959
a cuckoo wasp
Aculeata: Chrysididae
 
National status: RDB3
   Essex RDB: Listed
Threat: Essex Threatened

Hedychrum niemelai

 
Taxonomic group: bees and wasps (Aculeata) - County data   
Species Habitat Data
Additional Phenology Data
parasite on Cerceris quinquefasciata

The ruby-tailed wasp Hedychrum niemelai is a cleptoparasite of the national Biodiversity Action Plan RDB3 Cerceris quinquefaciata and other Cerceris species in hot situations. In the past the species was apparently locally common in southern England, from W. Cornwall to W. Norfolk, but now seems to be very scarce, with post-1970 information from only a handful of sites. It is known to inhabit open, sandy situations with nesting taking place in bare or sparsely vegetated sandy substrates fully exposed to the sun. The Cerceris is recorded collecting a number of weevils as prey, including some very common species. The UK Action Plan gives the loss of open areas of sandy ground for nesting and flower-rich grasslands for foraging as the current factors causing decline. Cerceris quinquefaciata is currently subject to research into its autoecology. References
Species text last edited on Tue Mar 20th 2007 by user 3
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