Sphecodes longulus von Hagens,1882
Synonyms
Sphecodes nitidulus VON HAGENS 1882
Distribution
A southern species, this bee is found from Hampshire to Kent, north to Norfolk with limited information from south Wales and an isolated location in the north Midlands. Not so far found in the Isles of Scilly.
Abroad, this is a Western Palaearctic bee found locally in central and southern Europe, and in North Africa.
Status (in Britain only)
Listed in Falk (1991) as Notable A (now known as National Scarce).
Habitat
It is mainly associated with dry, sandy heathland and other disturbed sandy situations such as sandpits. Occasionally found in open, broad-leaved woodland.
Flight period
Univoltine. The female flies from late April to late September and the male from July (perhaps June) to early September.
Pollen collected
As this bee is a cleptoparasite no pollen is collected.
Nesting biology
A cleptoparasite of mining bees of the genus Lasioglossum. The female has been seen near the nest burrows of potential hosts. That usually quoted is L. minutissimum (Kirby) but it may also parasitise L. morio (Fabricius) and L. leucopus (Kirby). Details of the parasitic behaviour remain unrecorded.
Flowers visited
The bee has been found taking nectar on wild angelica and wild carrot (Apiaceae), and various Asteraceae such as thistles, yarrow, mayweed and common ragwort.
Parasites
No data available.
Year profile last updated
2019