Elampus panzeri (Chrysididae), Crabro peltarius, Crossocerus palmipes, Ectemnius ruficornis
and Nitela lucens (Sphecidae), aculeate Hymenoptera new to Essex
occurrence at the West Thurrock PFA North Lagoon (TQ585770) on the 7th July 2003 is the fust
county record. A single male was swept by bushes adjacent to sparsely vegetated aculeate nesting
area.
Ectemnius ruficornis. Nationally Scarce (Notable/Mb), Essex Red Data List, Essex Endangered
This wasp has a patchy distribution in Britain as far north as Westmorland, and appears to have
markedly increased its presence in northern England over the last few decades (Edwards 1998). It
is typically encountered in the vicinity of dead wood or on Umbellifer flowers. Nesting occurs in a
variety of dead wood and the nest cells are provisioned with large Syrphid (hoverfly) flies (Falk
1991). Although relatively widespread in parts of the south-east the first record for Essex is of a
single male collected by the author at silt lagoons at Shellhaven (TQ738815) on 25lh July 2001.
There are no previous records from Essex (Harvey & Plant 1996). These lagoons are now almost
certainly destroyed.
Nitela lucens. Insufficiently Known (RDBK), Essex Red Data List, Essex Unknown
The species (as Nitela spinolae) is listed as Rare (RDB3) in Shirt (1987) and Insufficiently Known
(RDBK) by Falk (1991). It has been found in south and south-east England, including Hampshire,
Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent and is more widely distributed than its congener N. borealis. It
has been found in gardens and waste land areas between mid-May and early September. Females
have been captured carrying psocid nymphs (Psocoptera) as prey and the species has been found
nesting in small holes in old walls, and in abandoned insect burrows in dead wood (Allen & Roberts
2002). A single individual was collected new to Essex on a window inside a garage at the author's
home in Grays (TQ625793) on 1st September 1998. It is noted as an unidentified Nitela sp. in
Harvey (1999).
References
ALLEN, GW. & ROBERTS, S.P.M. (2002) Species profile for Nitela lucens in BWARS Newsletter (Spring
2002): 8.
ARCHER, M.E. & ROBERTS, S.P.M. (2002) Species profile for Elampus panzeri in BWARS Newsletter
(Spring 2002): 10.
EDWARDS, R. (1997) Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland (Part 1).
Biological Records Centre. Huntingdon.
EDWARDS, R. (1998) Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland (Part 2).
Biological Records Centre.
FALK, S. (1991) A review of the scarce and threatened bees, wasps and ants of Great Britain. Research &
Survey in Nature Conservation, number 35. NCC.
HARVEY. P. (1999) Recorder report for ants, bees and wasps (aculeate Hymenoptera) Essex Naturalist
(New series) 16: 41-45.
62
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 21 (2004)