92 The Essex Naturalist
burrow in trodden pathways. Also noted by Nicholson (1928) (as A. sericea) for
Billericay and the Colchester district on sand hills, gravel paths, etc., local. The
only recent records are for Leyton Flats (Hanson 1992) and Elsenham Sand Pit.
However the bee is the host of the cuckoo bee Sphecodes pellucidus which has
been recorded from several other localities and it seems likely that it is under-
recorded.
A. (Notandrena) chrysosceles (Kirby)
Noted by Nicholson (1928) from Billericay and the Colchester district. Almost
certainly widely distributed and common with recent records from 31 localities
across the county.
A. (Chrysandrena) fulvago (Christ) - Notable A
Noted by Nicholson (1928) from Billericay and the Colchester district, on
hawkweeds on sandy soils. The bee has undergone a substantial decline this
century especially inland (Falk 1991). It is probably dependent on unimproved
flower-rich grasslands and short-cropped or sparsely-vegetated areas and it still
occurs in such situations at Broom Hill (West Tilbury), Mucking Heath (Orsett
Golf Course) and Mill Wood Pit, three sites in Thurrock. These are the only
recent records.
A. (Chlorandrena) humilis Imhoff - Notable B
Noted by Nicholson (1928) on hawkweeds, from Billericay and the Colchester
district in hard pathways. There are recent records only from unimproved
grassland at Broom Hill (West Tilbury) and east of Mill Lane in the Mill Wood
Pit area, both in Thurrock.
A. (Charitandrena) hattorfiana (Fabricius) - RDB3
There is a close, and possibly obligate, association with Field Scabious Knautia
arvensis. It is a large and unmistakable bee which has declined substantially this
century with only about 15 post-1970 sites in southern England (Falk 1991). Two
specimens are recorded by W H Harwood (1884), while further specimens
including the red variety of the female and several males of its cleptoparasite
Nomada armata are recorded by B S Harwood (1902a, b). It is noted by Nicholson
(1928) from Alresford, Donyland and Lexden. Today intensive agriculture and
the improvement of grasslands have greatly reduced the occurrence of Field
Scabious in the county and the plant usually only occurs in small quantity. In
July 1992 a small population of the bee was found foraging at Field Scabious
along a short section of old disused railway track at Glemsford Pits in North Essex
(Harvey 1992). The bee was still present in 1994 but in 1995 only two
individuals were seen and the population is clearly very vulnerable.
A. (Poecilandrena) labiata Fabricius - Notable A
= cingidata (Fabricius) preocc.
Recorded by Harwood (1884) from Nayland and noted by Nicholson (1928)
from "Billericay, Hale End, etc." The extremely rare cleptoparasite of this bee,