Hymenoptera Recorder’s Report for 2019

50

Suffolk Natural History, Vol. 55

HYMENOPTERA RECORDER’S REPORT FOR 2019 ADRIAN KNOWLES Ipswich Museum Collection During the winter months I have continued my work behind the scenes at Ipswich Museum, helping to catalogue and re-organise the collection, whilst also correcting misidentifications and gathering record data where possible. Until recently, the museum collection was not easily accessible to study so I would like to place on record my thanks to Kate Riddington and the team at the museum for organising this mutually beneficial exercise. It is a slow process, likely to take a couple of years but it is already yielding some interesting records and updates.

The bulk of the collection, as studied so far, is unsurprisingly dominated by Claude Morley’s collection. This comprises a huge amount of material that he collected himself but also a lot of material that he acquired. Much of this came from two local naturalists: William Harwood of Colchester and Rev John Hocking of Copdock. John Hocking Hocking was a Cornishman, but came to Copdock in 1881, before moving to other parishes and then returned to Copdock from 1895 to 1903, when he died.

Hocking was primarily a Lepidopterist, but between 1900 and 1901 he appears to have intensively collected Hymenoptera material from his parish. I speculate that he had been asked by Morley to collect this material in preparation for the natural history chapter of the Victoria County History, which was being researched and prepared at the time.

The following interesting records have been gleaned from the collection so far: Anoplius concinnus – a spider-hunting wasp. In Knowles (2018a) I note three localities, all right on the western or northern borders of the county. However, Morley took several on 9 September 1921 at Southwold, still the only records along the Suffolk coast.

Arachnospila consobrina. Another spider-hunting wasp. Again, Knowles (2018a) lists only three localities (Tostock, Southwold and Beck Row, near Mildenhall). From the Morley collection, we can now add what would appear to be Benacre (deciphering Morley’s handwriting is an art in itself!), with four specimens collected in September 1923.

Coelioxys elongata – a cuckoo-bee. Knowles (2017) notes this to be a rare bee in Suffolk, with most records coming from the Brecks. However, Morley’s collection includes specimens from Easton cliff, Parham Wood, Aldringham, Frostenden and Felixstowe.

Coelioxys quadridentata – Knowles (2017) suggests that this cuckoo-bee had not been recorded in Suffolk since 1936, this being the date of Morley’s last published review of the Suffolk Hymenoptera fauna. However, the museum collection includes a specimen from Wenhaston in 1942. The overall summary unfortunately remains unchanged: this species may now be lost from the county.

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 55 (2019)

HYMENOPTERA REPORT MARINE FAUNA

51

Crossocerus vagabundus - this digger wasp is now a national rarity. The species profile in the website of the Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording society (www.BWARS.com) says this species has “shown one of the severest declines of any British aculeate, with only five records since the 1950s, despite earlier records for 26 vice-counties”. One of those vice counties is east Suffolk, with a specimen from Parham in 19922 being part of Morley’s collection.

Gymnomerus laevipes – a potter/mason wasp. This species was not included within Knowles (2018a) and for a few, brief moments earlier this summer I thought I had the excitement of recording a county first. However, I then had a recollection of having seen museum specimens of this species back in the spring. In the museum collection there are eight specimens from the New Forest, a favourite holiday haunt of Morley’s, but also one labelled Brandeston gravel pit, 13/8/1942. Thus, I can merely content myself with a “modern first” by taking a specimen from Landseer Park, Ipswich on 5 June 2019, when leading a training event for Ipswich Parks ranger service.

Melitta leporina – Knowles (2017) suggests that the sole East Suffolk record for this bee was a 2001 capture on waste ground at Ipswich. However, Morley’s collection includes specimens from Copdock, Frostenden, Felixstowe, Easton Cliff, Thorndon and Dunwich.

Nomada guttulata – the collection has the second British specimen of this cuckoobee. Morley’s label refers to the Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine, vol 33, page 280, where he describes its location as “woods to the south-west of Ipswich”. The specimen label bears “BW”, showing that this means Bentley Woods, a favourite site of Morley’s. Even now, I am only aware of one other East Anglia record for this nationally rare bee (Thetford Warren).

Interesting Records from 2019 Andrena angustior – on 29 April, I took a pair of specimens of this mining bee from the wooded shoreline at Home Wood, Nacton. This is only the third modern record for this species, all being in the south of the county.

Andrena florea – following the discovery of this mining bee in Suffolk in 2015, it continues to consolidate its position in the county, with records from Leiston and Westleton Heath. Data from the online record depository, iRecord, also claims a first record for West Suffolk (Barrow).

Andrena proxima – Knowles (2018b) announced the unexpected discovery of the cuckoo-bee Nomada conjungens at two sites in Suffolk, including Piper’s Vale, Ipswich. This bee attacks the nests of the mining bee Andrena proxima and on 5 June 2019 a female of the Andrena was caught at Piper’s Vale, although no further specimens of the Nomada could be found.

Bombus jonellus – this heathland bumblebee has been recorded from the coastal Sandlings but on 23 September, David Basham took one from Purdis Heath, possibly the first record for the Ipswich Heaths (Knowles, 2012).

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 55 (2019)

52

Suffolk Natural History, Vol. 55

Odynerus melanocephalus S. Falk

Other Records A recent data download from iRecord has yielded a new county record. On 14 July 2018, Bex Cartwright and Ian Cheeseborough recorded the digger wasp Odynerus melanocephalus From Flatford Mill area, during their annual training course for the

Field Studies Council. This species has undergone a significant decline nationally, resulting it being listed as a Species of Principal Importance in England (formerly BAP “Priority” species). Interestingly, this summer I took two specimens of this wasp from near Colchester, the first records for north-east Essex, whilst populations in south Essex may be declining (Peter Harvey, pers. comm.). Is this a response to global warming and a northward shift in this species’ range? It will be one to look out for in future years in Suffolk.

References Knowles, A. (2012). The Bumblebees of Suffolk. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 47: 1–31.

Knowles, A. (2017). A review of the solitary bees (Hymenoptera) of Suffolk. Trans.

Suffolk Nat. Soc. 53: 19–41.

Knowles, A. (2018a). A review of the solitary wasps (Hymenoptera) of Suffolk, Part 1.

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 54: 1–25.

Knowles, A. (2018b). Further notes on the solitary bees (Hymenoptera) of Suffolk.

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 54: 26–27.

Adrian Knowles Jessups Cottage, London Road, Capel St Mary, IP9 2JR

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 55 (2019)