90
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
district. Punctatissimus, Schk., Colchester district (common).
Minutissimus, K., our smallest bee, being only 1/6 to 1/8 of an inch
long ; on yellow Composites ; common. Tumulorum, L.,
Billericay, etc. Smeathmanellus, K., Leucopus, K., both
common ; Colchester district. Morio, Fab., common in gardens ;
Billericay, Hale End, etc.
Sphecodes. All parasitic and mostly on the preceding genus ;
like theirs, the females hibernate, and males and females appear
in late summer. Both sexes of Rubicundus and Spinulosus appear
in June, however, the males of the latter flying along the hedges,
and those of the former over the tops of the hedges. Gibbus, L.
(parasitic on H. rubicundus) ; the commonest species ; High
Beach, Hale End, etc. Monilicornis, K, (also on H. rubicundus),
common. Spinulosus, v. Hag., local ; Colchester district ; (on
Andrena labialis). Puncticeps, Thoms, (on H. quadrinotatus), local;
Billericay, Colchester district. Pellucidus, Sm. (on Andrena
sericea), Hyalinatus v. Hag. (on H. fulvicornis), Geoffrella, K. and
Affinis v. Hag. (both on H. nitidiusculus), have all been taken
in the Colchester district, as has also Ferruginatus, Schk, (on
H. fulvicornis), but this is rare. Divisus, K. (on H. leucozonius
and quadrinotatus), Billericay, Colchester district.
Dasypoda hirtipes, Latr. This beautiful species is the only
British representative of the genus. It burrows in sandy soils,
frequents the flowers of the mouse-ear and other hawkweeds in
August, and stings severely ; it is local, but sometimes forms
large colonies; Billericay (one on a yellow composite), Colchester
district.
[Macropis labiata, Fab. This species is not common in
Britain, and has not so far been recorded for Essex. It
occurs in July and August, and is particularly partial to the
flowers of Lysimachia vulgaris, which grows commonly in some
parts of the county, but it has also been captured at the flowers of
Cirsium arvense. It is about 1/3 inch in length, and has narrow
bands of white pubescence across the abdomen.]
Family II. Ceratinidae. Ceratina cyanea, K. The only
British representative of this family is a little steel-blue bee,
which makes its burrows in dead bramble sticks, and frequents
the flowers of Viper's Bugloss. It is local, but has been recorded
as fairly common in the Colchester district.