Sphecodes ferruginatus von Hagens,1882
Synonyms
Sphecodes rufescens VON HAGENS 1874
Distribution
A scarce species, found from Cornwall to Kent to the north of England. It is found rarely in Wales and reported from Ireland in O’Connor et al. (2009), but is not known from the Channel Islands.
Abroad, a Palaearctic species; known in the south from central Spain east to Greece and Azerbaijan and in the north from southern Fennoscandia east to Siberia (S Roberts pers. comm.).
Status (in Britain only)
Listed as Nationally Notable/Nb in Falk (1991) (now known as Nationally Scarce).
Habitat
Found in calcareous grassland, open deciduous woodland and moorland edges.
Flight period
Univoltine; the female flies from late May to mid August and the male from mid July to the end of August (Falk, 1991).
Pollen collected
As this bee is a cleptoparasite, no pollen is collected.
Nesting biology
The parasitic behaviour of this bee has apparently not been observed. It is believed to parasitise Lasioglossum fulvicorne (Kirby) and Lasioglossum fratellum (Pérez); possibly also other Lasioglossum such as laticeps (Schenck), pauxillum (Schenck) and rufitarse (Zetterstedt) (Falk, 1991).
Flowers visited
Flower visits in Britain, for nectar only, are known for a cinquefoil, fennel and wild carrot (Falk, 1991).
Parasites
No data available.
Year profile last updated
2016