BWARS Newsletter, spring 2005

Dear all BWARS members,

I'm currently working on Lancashire, Merseyside and Cumbria data in order to produce a more detailed, updated checklist of aculeates in those areas. For Lancashire and Merseyside we have reasonable data coverage. Does anyone have an a copy of the BWARS spring newsletter of 2005 that - if unwanted - I could purchase from them or if wanted I could scan and return? This newsletter has - if the record is correct - Neil Robinson's list of aculeates in Cumbria up to that point.

Forums:

Requests for help

Solitary wasp aggregations

Dear all

Forums:

Requests for help

2 Day Bee (and Hoverfly) Identification

Steven Falk, author and entomologist, is running a 2 day Bee and Hoverfly identification course. Attendees can do 100% bee work if they wish. Steven will show you how to identify, record and (where necessary) collect these important pollinators and explain their ecology and conservation requirements. Microscopes and specimens will be provided and there will also be local excursions to see living bees and hoverflies in a variety of habitats (on the beautiful Oxfordshire Downs near the famous White Horse).

Berrycroft Farm, West Oxfordshire

Display Date:

July 15 & 16 2017

Sort Date:

Sat, 15/07/2017

2 Day Bee (and Hoverfly) Identification Workshop

Steven Falk, author and entomologist, is running a 2 day course looking at bees and hoverflies. Attendees can do 100% bee work if they wish. This will include an introduction to the key differences between various bee genera, and work on prepared specimens using a microscope using Steve's widely available and much-praised keys.

Berrycroft Farm, West Oxfordshire

Price: £70 for 2 days (accommodation not included)

Display Date:

May 20 & 21 2017

Sort Date:

Sat, 20/05/2017

Wasps

Can anybody help me please? I live in the Wrexham area, and I know it is Dec 16th, but I have seen a wasp in my conservatory

today. Is it normal to see these at this time of the year. It certainly surprized me.

Forums:

General Discussion

Nomada alboguttata

Authority:

Herrich-Schäffer, 1839

Synonyms:

Nomada ochrostoma_homonym Zetterstedt, 1838, Nomada quinquespinosa Thomson, 1870, Nomada alboguttata var. liburnica Friese, 1921, Nomada alboguttata var. suerinensis Friese, 1921, Nomada alboguttata etizenensis Tsuneki, 1975

Discovered in Britain from east Kent in June 2016.

Distribution:

Widespread across much of central and northern Europe, from France eastwards to Slovenia, and northwards to Fenno-Scandia and Russia

Identification:

To separate this species from its congener N. baccata:

Nomada alboguttata: Large, forewing length 7-10mm, scutellum distinctly raised above the level of of the plane of the scutum (see image below).
Nomada baccata: Small, forewing length circa 5mm (given as up to 6mm in European literature), scutellum on the same level as the plane of the scutum.

Habitat:

Sandy places on heathlands and open woodland

Flight period:

A partly bivoltine species; from the beginning of April to the middle of June, and again from the end of July to the end of September

Nesting biology:

Probably a cleptoparasite of Andrena barbilabris in Britain. Elsewhere in Europe it is known that Andrena barbilabris is the major host, but it is probably also cleptoparasitic on A. ventralis (Westrich, 1989) and possibly A. argentata.

Flowers visited:

As this is a cleptoparasitic species, all flower visits will be for nectar only. Westrich (1989) lists the following plant species as nectar sources: Salix (Salicaceae); Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae); Frangula alnus (Rhamnaceae); Jasione montana (Campanulaceae); Succisa pratensis (Dipsacaceae).

Smit et al. (2004) citing others lists Hieracium sp., Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae) and Salix repens (Salicaceae) as nectar sources in the Netherlands

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Nomada alboguttata

Author of profile:

Provisional profile - Stuart Roberts and Nigel Jones

Year profile last updated:

2016

Lasius myops

Authority:

Forel, 1894

BWARS has not yet produced an account for this species. We anticipate completing the process of producing accounts for all British and Irish species by around 2014. Meanwhile, on this page you can find at least a provisional distribution map, any images BWARS has procured for the species and a list of known synonyms (names previously applied to this species).

Distribution:

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Lasius myops

Ponera testacea

Authority:

Emery, 1895

Previously regarded as a variety of Ponera coarctata (Latreille, 1802), P. testacea was raised to species status by Csösz & Seifert (2003), on good morphological and ecological evidence. It is also a senior synonym of P. coarctata var. crassisquama (Emery, 1916), (Scupola, 2006).

Distribution:

Fewer than 20 records have been confirmed so far, all from coastal sites in southern England, with nearly half from Dungeness, E. Kent, where it was first recognized as a British species from pitfall trap specimens (Attewell et. al., 2010). It has since been confirmed as widespread at Dungeness and also from a scatter of coastal sites in six vice-counties of S. England from E. Cornwall to E. Suffolk, (Jarman, 2010; Alexander, 2012; Paul, 2011). Many records are from specimens originally identified as P. coarctata and re-determined following publication of the Dungeness finds. A record from Orford Ness, E. Suffolk (Telfer, 2013), is significant in being at the same latitude as the northernmost continental record, which is in Berlin (B. Seifert, pers. comm. to P. Attewell). It is possible that some of the Channel Island records for coarctata may be determined as testacea.

Elsewhere, it is abundant in the Mediterranean region, Iberia, S. France and Italy, and ranges sporadically into northwest (Belgium and Netherlands), central and eastern Europe, and the Balkans, to 52ºN.

Status (in Britain only):

As yet, no status designation exists for P. testacea.

Habitat:

In contrast to its sibling species, P. testacea is restricted to xerothermic, sparsely-vegetated habitats, avoiding humid and/or shaded sites which are often favoured by coarctata. Recorded English nesting sites are under pebbles, stones or concrete slabs on sparsely-vegetated shingle, under mats of vegetation on rocky cliffs, or other open, sun-exposed coastal sites. Specimens have been taken in pitfall traps, by hand collecting, sieving of sand and gravel and by suction sampling.

Identification:

Separation from P. coarctata is by several characters, in workers and queens focusing especially on the petiole node, which seen in profile is shorter and thicker in testacea, usually not extending above the height of the thorax and gaster, and parallel-sided instead of slightly tapering. In dorsal view, the petiole tends to a semi-circular cross-section, rather than the elliptical one of coarctata. The subpetiolar process is more concave ventrally, with a slightly larger circular thin spot (fenestrum), and a more or less well-developed posterior tooth-like projection. Morphometric indices give certain diagnosis. Colour is usually a pale brown, instead of the dark brown to black of coarctata. These and other characters are described and figured by Csösz & Seifert (2003). Comparative images of GB specimens are given in Attewell, Collingwood & Godfrey (2010). Males have been less well defined; Csösz & Seifert cite differences in average body length, (testacea <3.0mm< coarctata), a head with sparse short hairs vs. dense long hairs of coarctata, and a less robust alitrunk. Boer (2015) additionally gives hind tibial pilosity, which in testacea is largely of appressed pubescence, without decumbent/subdecumbent hairs.

Flight period:

Alates have been recorded in August and September, as for P. coarctata (Seifert, 2007).

Foraging behaviour:

Similar to P.coarctata (Seifert, 2007). See notes in profile page for that species.

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Ponera testacea

Author of profile:

P J Attewell

Year profile last updated:

2017

Monomorium pharaonis

Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common name:

Pharaoh Ant

Distribution:

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Monomorium pharaonis

Linepithema humile

Authority:

(Mayr, 1868)

Common name:

Argentine ant

Linepithema humile (formerly Iridomyrmex humilis) better known as The Argentine Ant originates from South America. It has been spread by humans to many parts of the world and has become established in areas that have a warm climate. It has only rarely been found in Britain and then usually in hothouses or buildings. It is an invasive species which forms large or very large colonies of cooperating, interconnected nests with many queens.

Distribution:

LINEPITHEMA humile distribution map

Very localised usually in hot-houses or other heated buildings. A large colony, living at least partly outdoors, is known from Fulham in West London.

A world-wide tramp species found in most places with a warm climate. Such as southern Europe.

Status (in Britain only):

A non-native invasive species

Identification:

They are somewhat smaller, paler and more slender than the very common black ant Lasius niger. The posterior of the gaster has a sideways slit and not an acidipore. The single petiole is large.

Foraging behaviour:

Aggressive ants. They will attack and kill other ants species and other invertebrates.

Food:

Omniverous. Invertabrates, honeydew from aphids, anything they can scavenge.

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Linepithema humile

Reproductive behaviour:

Females mate in the nest and start laying eggs very soon afterwards.

Author of profile:

M G Fox

Year profile last updated:

2017

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