Sphecodes Bees in this are cleptoparasites which lay their eggs in the nests of , and species. They have little hair, are mostly black with a partially red abdomen, a rough cuticle and strong mandibles. In most species adult females hibernate through the winter and males appear later in the season. In all species females have a red abdomen with a dark tip. Males usually have red or yellowish bands on the abdomen but in some species the abdomen is entirely black. The antennae of males are knobbly with a flattened hair patch on each segment. A few are specific to their host but others have several hosts and there is still much to learn about host choice. Seventeen species have been recorded from the British Isles with 14 recorded in , 12 post-2000. It is difficult to identify members of this genus from images alone. Male identification sometimes relies on details of genitalia.

Sphecodes crassus Females Recogniseable with magnification by their swollen hind femora and long labrum. Males require examination of details of antennae and genitalia for identificaton.

Flight times March – August. Males from June.

Distribution Recorded in the Norwich area and the Brecks with outlying records from

Narborough and Wymondham.

Sphecodes crassus

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Habitat Quarry, old railway track, heathland, river valley.

Flowers visited Angelica, Cow Parsley, Wild Carrot.

Nesting Recorded near Lasioglossum parvulum nests at Mousehold Heath (TS). It may have additional hosts (SF).

Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes ephippius This is a medium sized species. Females The punctation on the thorax is moderately dense. 4 The red on the abdomen commonly extends 3 to the sides of T4 and the spines on the legs 2 are translucent reddish in colour. Males have 1 short lumpy antennae, dense punctation on 0 the thorax and red markings on T1 – T3. 9

2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Habitat Heathland, quarries, commons, Brecks, woodland rides, chalk grassland, gardens.

Flowers visited Catsear, Hogweed, Milk Parsley, Creeping Thistle, Turnip.

Nesting A parasite of Halictus tumulorum whose Norfolk distribution it closely matches. It is also thought to parasitise several

Sphecodes ephippius female. Heath Lasioglossum species (SF). th 12 August 2009. Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes ephippius female on Catsear.

Kelling Heath 12th May 2011.

Flight times March – September. Males from June.

Distribution Widespread and common. Females have dense puncturing on the face and thorax and a long labrum. Males Tergites 1 - 3 are often entirely red but males require microscopic examination to confirm (SF).

Flight times No Norfolk information.

Distribution Only one Norfolk record: from Brundall in the 1880s (JBB: TS 2011).

Habitat No information.

Flowers visited No records.

Nesting Reported to be a cleptoparasite of Lasioglossum fulvicorne and L. fratellum.

Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes geoffrellus Habitat Quarries, heathland, soft cliffs, Females The mandibles of this small species Brecks, chalk grassland, river valleys. have two points and the punctures on the thorax are shallow and well spaced. The tarsi Flowers visited Dodder, Turnip. and bases of the tibiae are orange. There is Nesting A cleptoparasite of at least five often a black spot at the side of the abdomen Lasioglossum species (SF). The distribution where T2 meets T3. Males have variable best fits L. leucopus in Norfolk. yellow/red bands on T1 – T3. The tarsi and parts of the tibiae are pale. Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes geoffrellus male on Dodder. Kelling th Heath 20 July 2010.

Flight times April – September. Males from June.

Distribution Widely distributed and common but with few records from central areas or the Fens. Sphecodes geoffrellus

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Sphecodes gibbus Females of this large species have a wide head with several rows of punctures behind the ocelli (most Sphecodes lack punctures here). There are black hairs and spines on the hind tibia. The wings are darkened but the wing stigmas are pale brown. Males also have punctures behind the ocelli and pale wing stigmas. There are orange/red markings on T1 – T3, with T2 being largely coloured.

Flight times May – September. Males from

July.

Distribution A scarce species with recent records from the Brecks, Weybourne and Marsham Heath

Sphecodes gibbus

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Habitat Brecks, coastal grassland, heathland.

Flowers visited No records.

Nesting A cleptoparasite of (BWARS) but recorded from only a few sites of this species. Four of the 8 tetrads with records of S. gibbus also have records of H. rubicundus.

Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes hyalinatus Females This small species resembles S. geoffrellus but differs in having less punctation on T2 and T3 (requiring microscopic examination) and dense white hairs under the thorax. Males require microscopic examination of antennae and genitalia for identification.

Flight times May – August. Males from July.

Distribution Recorded at Honing 1996,

Narborough 2002 (KD) and 2012 (TS), 2003 (Brecks Project) and at 2012 (NO).

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Habitat Calcareous grassland.

Flowers visited No records.

Nesting A cleptoparasite of Lasioglossum fulvicorne and L. fratellum (SF). The former species has been recorded in the same tetrad as S. hyalinatus at Narborough and Foulden but neither species so far at Warham Camp.

Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes longulus Females are tiny with single-pointed mandibles (otherwise only seen in S. puncticeps). The body is slim and the tarsi and parts of the tibiae are reddish. Males are vry slim with pale tarsi and pale marks at each end of the tibiae. The abdomen is almost black with variable amounts of reddish tints on T1 - T3.

Flight times April – August. Males from July.

Distribution Widespread in the county.

Sphecodes longulus

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Habitat Quarries, chalk grassland, heathland, Brecks.

Flowers visited No records.

Nesting A cleptoparasite of Lasioglossum morio, L. minutissimum and possibly other

Lasioglossum species (SF). It is not clear from the distribution which hosts are used in Norfolk.

Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes miniatus Females of this small species have a single pointed mandibles, fairly dense punctures on the thorax, a reticulate pattern on the propodeum and dark legs. Males require examination of genitalia to determine.

Flight times April – September. Males from September (only one record).

Distribution Recorded in the Brecks, the Norwich area and the north coast.

Sphecodes miniatus

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8 2000 – 2014 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Habitat Brownfield sites, quarries, cliffs, forest rides.

Flowers visited No records.

Nesting Observed near Lasioglossum morio nests at Brundall (TS) which is a known host, as is L. smeathmanellum (SF). However, S. miniatus is scarce and localised in Norfolk compared with these two Lasioglossum species.

Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes monilicornis Flowers visited Bramble, Creeping Thistle, Females of this fairly large species have rows Hogweed, garden Sea Holly, Thyme, Wild of punctures on the head behind the ocelli. Carrot, Yarrow. The head is squarish in shape, with the sides Nesting Associated with Lasioglossum coming out backwards behind the eyes before curving sharply inwards. Males have long calceatum, a known host, near Foulden (KD). antennae without obvious hair patches. There Also known to parasitise L. albipes, L. malachurum and Halictus rubicundus (SF). The are variable amounts of red on T1 – T3. Norfolk distribution and abundance of S. monilicornis suggests that L. calceatum is its main host in the county.

Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes monilicornis on Wild Thyme. Warham Camp 5th August 2012.

Flight times April – September. Males from July.

Distribution Widespread and common.

Sphecodes monilicornis

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Habitat Gardens, commons, heathland, Brecks.

Sphecodes niger Distribution Widespread and fairly frequent in Females of this very small species can be the county, and is increasing (TS 2011). recognised by a smooth shiny area beneath Sphecodes niger the wing base and the dark upper surface of

T3. Males are entirely black and can be 4 mistaken for a Lasioglossum but have more 3 knobbly antennae and different genitalia. 2

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Habitat Brownfield sites, quarries, gardens, chalk grassland, Brecks.

Flowers visited Milk Parsley.

Nesting Observed near Lasioglossum morio nests at Brundall (TS). This is the only

Sphecodes niger female. Warham Camp 24th reported (possible) host of S. niger (BWARS). May 2012. Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes niger female on Germander th Speedwell. Coploe Hill Cambridgeshire 27 April 2014

Flight times July – September. Males from June.

Sphecodes pellucidus Habitat Heathland and other sites with loose Females of this fairly large species can be unshaded sand. recognised by their wide head, large deep punctures on the thorax, wide pygidium and Nesting A cleptoparasite of . The distribution of S. pellucidus long white body hairs. Males can be identified microscopically from details of antennae and generally matches that of this Andrena in genitalia. Norfolk. Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes pellucidus female excavating nest of Andrena barbilabris. 20th April 2015.

Flight times Late March – September. Males from June.

Distribution Recorded from the Brecks as far west as Stoke Ferry, in the west, the Norwich area to the north coast, East Ruston heath and the the south east coast. Sphecodes pellucidus

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Sphecodes puncticeps Sphecodes puncticeps Females have a strongly punctured thorax and 4 a wide head. The mandibles have a single 3 point. Males require microscopic examination for identification. 2 1

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Habitat Commons, heathland, quarries, cliffs and mature dunes.

Flowers visited Hogweed.

Nesting The Norfolk distribution of L. puncticeps suggests that Lasioglossum villosulum is its main host in the county rather than the other reported hosts namely L. lativentre, L. quadrinotatum (SF). L. brevicorne may also be a host.

Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes puncticeps female. Kelling Heath

25th May 2012

Flight times May – August. Males from August.

Distribution Recorded from the Brecks, the Norwich area and the north and east coasts.

Sphecodes reticulatus Habitat Heathland, coastal cliffs, Brecks. Identification of both sexes requires examination of microscopic features. Females Flowers visited Yarrow. of this fairly large species have punctures Nesting Observed investigating a nest hole of behind the ocelli, as in S. monilicornis, but the Lasioglossum leucozonium at Weybourne on head is not square as in this species. Males 23rd July 2012 but any association needs have long shining antennae and red markings confirming. Reported as parasitising Andrena on T1 – T3. barbilabris and A. dorsata in Europe (BWARS). The distribution of S. reticulatus in Norfolk could relate to its parasitising L. leucozonium and/or A. barbilabris but probably not A. dorsata which is very widespread and abundant in the county. S. reticulatus appears about a month later than S. pellucidus which is a known parasite of A. barbilabris.

Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes reticulatus male on Yarrow. Kelling Heath25th August 2012

Flight times May – September: earliest 22nd May. Males from July.

Distribution Brecks, western heaths, Norwich area, area, Cromer Ridge and east coast.

Sphecodes reticulatus

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Sphecodes spinulosus Both sexes of this large species can be identified microscopically by the curved flange along the hind margin of the head, resembling a narrow gutter. Females have long antennae, looking more like those of males and a deep groove across sternite two. Males have spines on the hind tibiae.

Flight times Recorded in July.

Distribution There is only one record: a female from a chalk field headland at Flitcham in 2013.

Sphecodes spinulosus

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 Habitat Chalky fields.

Flowers visited No records.

Nesting Known to parasitise Lasioglossum xanthopus which has not been recorded in Norfolk but which may be present at Flitcham and other chalk grassland sites.

Parasites None recorded.

Sphecodes rubicundus Females A large species with T4 entirely red, as in S. gibbus, but lacking the darkened wings of that species. Males can be identified by details of antennae and genitalia (SF).

Flight times No information.

Distribution JB Bridgman found it to be common in the Norwich area in the 1870s. One individual was recorded at Hickling in 1988, thought to be a vagrant (TS 2011).

Sphecodes rubicundus

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2000 – 2014 8 1980 – 1999 Pre 1980 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5

Habitat No information.

Flowers visited No information.

Nesting Known to be a parasite of Andrena labialis (BWARS), which has not been recorded in the county since the 19th Century.

Parasites None recorded.