Nysson trimaculatus

Authority:

(Rossi,1790)

Synonyms:

Nysson nigripes Spinola, 1808; Nysson geniculatus Olivier, 1812

A species of Nysson that apparently has two hosts in this country and is sometimes easier to locate than its hosts.

Distribution:

Recorded widely in the southern half of England, from Cornwall to Kent and north to Warwickshire and Yorkshire; also the Channel Islands. Abroad, rare but widely distributed in Europe; also Japan (Lomholdt, 1975-1976), and recently reported from China.

Status (in Britain only):

Listed as Notable B by Falk (1991) [now known as Nationally Scarce (Nb)], and clearly scarcer than its hosts in most parts of the country, though it has been noted as relatively frequent in Kent, where it is sometimes easier to find than its host there, Gorytes bicinctus. It may have expanded its range northwards in recent decades and is now known from several Yorkshire sites, a county from which it was unrecorded prior to the 1970s.

Habitat:

Recorded from a variety of open habitats on light soils, including heathland, dry grassland and scrub, open woodland, coastal landslips and soft rock cliffs, quarries and other post-industrial sites and occasionally heavily urbanised locations. Three specimens were even obtained from a roadside hedge in central London (K M Guichard, pers. obs.). Usually observed running on sparsely-vegetated ground or low herbage.

Flight period:

Early June to early September.

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Nysson trimaculatus

Flowers visited:

Specimens have occasionally been observed running over sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) leaves, presumably attracted by honeydew (G R Else, pers. comm.). In France, Bitsch et al. (1997) mention the inflorescences of Apiaceae.

Parasites:

No information available.

Parasitic biology:

N. trimaculatus is a cleptoparasite of Gorytes quadrifasciatus and G. bicinctus, relying entirely on the former species in the north of its range (e.g. Warwickshire and Yorkshire), and largely on G. bicinctus in Kent, where G. quadrifasciatus is scarce. In Fennoscandia, Lomholdt additionally lists G. laticinctus, a rare species in Britain but occurring within the range of N. trimaculatus.

Author of profile:

S J Falk.

Year profile last updated:

Proofed: March 2012

Caliadurgus fasciatellus

Authority:

(Spinola, 1808)

Distribution:

Largely confined to southern and eastern England, with records from coastal counties from Cornwall to Essex, and inland northwards to Somerset, Wiltshire, Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire. Records outside the main range are from Glamorgan, Lincolnshire and North-east Yorkshire. There are no records from the Channel Islands or Ireland.

The wasp has a Holarctic distribution (Day, 1988).

Status (in Britain only):

This species is not regarded as being scarce or threatened.

Habitat:

Frequents exposures of dry, sandy or sandy-clay soils (Day, 1988). Males are rarely found by direct searching, but may be frequent in Malaise-trap catches (M Edwards, pers. comm.)

Flight period:

June to early October (Day, 1988), with a peak in late July and August (S P M Roberts, pers. comm., based on a dataset of 36 records).

Prey collected:

Prey consists of orb-web spiders of the genus Meta (Tetragnathidae) and Araneus (Araneidae) (Day, 1988).

Nesting biology:

Short, vertical burrows are excavated in sandy soil after the prey has been caught. The prey item is gripped in the jaws, between the thorax and abdomen, and carried in front of the wasp. The prey is interred in a vertical position in the cell (Day, 1988).

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Caliadurgus fasciatellus

Flowers visited:

No information available.

Author of profile:

A S Davidson.

Year profile last updated:

2001

Agenioideus cinctellus

Authority:

(Spinola, 1808)

Distribution:

Confined to southern England and Wales extending northwards to Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Suffolk. It is unknown in Ireland but is present on all the larger Channel Islands.

Abroad, the species occurs in north and central Europe (Wolf, 1972).

Status (in Britain only):

This species is not regarded as being scarce or threatened.

Identification:

Day (1988) is the standard work for identifying British Pompilidae. Wiśniowski (2009) is also useful.

Habitat:

Typical of drier situations and sandy soils. Also dilapidated walls (Day, 1988). The species has been found on unstable clay undercliffs on the Dorset coast (S P M Roberts, pers. comm.).

Flight period:

June to August; occasionally as early as late May.

Prey collected:

Prey consists of small jumping spiders of the family Salticidae, with the occasional collection of members of the Thomisidae (Day, 1988). The wasp also hunts spiders which live in vertical, or near vertical faces, such as cliff walls and upturned root-plates. It is normally found away from such situations (M Edwards, pers. comm.).

Nesting biology:

This wasp utilises a wide range of natural cavities, along with abandoned aculeate burrows, empty mud cells and snail shells. The nest entrance is blocked with detritus (Day, 1988).

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Agenioideus cinctellus

Flowers visited:

No information available.

Author of profile:

A S Davidson.

Euodynerus quadrifasciatus

Authority:

(Fabricius,1793)

Synonyms:

Pseudepipona tomentosus THOMSON 1870

Previously known as Pseudepipona tomentosus (Thomson, 1870). Identification keys and general biology are given in Spradbery (1973), Richards (1980), Yeo & Corbet (1995) and Archer (2000).

Distribution:

Devon, Dorset, Berkshire and Surrey, with a nineteenth century record from West Gloucestershire. See Richards (1958), Falk (1991) and Else (1992) for further information.

Overseas found in many parts of Europe (including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria and Russia (Karelia)); north Africa (Morocco); and Asia (Armenia, Russia (east to far-eastern Maritime Kray), Mongolia and Japan).

Status (in Britain only):

Shirt (1987) lists this species as Rare (RDB3); Falk (1991) lists it as Vulnerable (RDB2). The shortage of recent records suggests its status should be reviewed.

Habitat:

Limestone quarries, pebble beaches and slopes of coastal cliffs. Seen flying over heather and bramble.

Flight period:

Univoltine; from May until August but most often seen during June and July.

Prey collected:

Probably larvae of microlepidoptera (Tortricidae) and beetles (Chrysomelidae).

Nesting biology:

A tube-dweller, recorded nesting in holes in beach pebbles and holes in large stones. Probably also nests in burrows in dead wood. Witt (1998) illustrates a female engaged in nest building, but no further information has been found.

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Euodynerus quadrifasciatus

Flowers visited:

Dewberry and wall cotoneaster.

Parasites:

No British records; overseas, Kunz (1994) gives the wasp Chrysis longula Abeille de Perrin.

Author of profile:

M E Archer.

Year profile last updated:

2001

Myrmica sulcinodis

Authority:

Nylander, 1846

Of the twelve British species of Myrmica, this is one of the less widely distributed and least well known in terms of its biology and ecology. Morphologically, M. sulcinodis is typical of the genus in possessing a two-segmented 'waist', pectinate spurs on all tibiae, well developed propodeal spines and a sting in the females. The shape of the antennal scape provides a good character for separation from other British Myrmica. Females of M.

Distribution:

This ant is largely restricted to well-drained upland heather moors in south west and northern England and in Scotland. It also occurs locally on some lowland heaths in southern England. There are a few records from Wales but none from Ireland. Overseas, occurs from arctic Scandinavia south to Portugal and east to eastern Siberia.

Status (in Britain only):

This species is not regarded as being scarce or threatened.

Habitat:

Throughout its Palaearctic range, M. sulcinodis is considered a typical species of mountainous habitat. In Britain, it can be common in some areas of heather moorland. However, only certain types of moorland appear suitable and nest sites tend to be in exposed, dark, well drained peat soils supporting close growing vegetation. The species does not survive in tall rank heather unless there are sufficient bare patches. In sandy lowland heath, the species occurs mainly in the damper areas of short heather or bog vegetation.

Flight period:

The mating flights of M. sulcinodis usually occur in August or early September.

Foraging behaviour:

Little is known about the foraging patterns, behaviour or main food source of this ant. The habitats in which it nests rarely support large aphid populations and it has only occasionally been reported to take aphid honeydew. The workers are usually found foraging alone, presumably searching mainly for small invertebrates or scavenging dead animal material.

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Myrmica sulcinodis

Nesting biology:

Myrmica sulcinodis usually nests under stones or in clumps of peat exposed to the sun; occasionally small mounds of vegetation may be raised for brood incubation. Colonies are relatively small, often consisting of only a few hundred workers and a single queen.

Parasites:

No parasitic ant species is known to be associated with M. sulcinodis.

Author of profile:

S P Hoy.

Year profile last updated:

2001

Tetramorium caespitum

Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

This is the only species of this widespread genus to be found naturally in Britain; some other tramp species may occur sporadically. The workers are small (2.5-4 mm) and dark brown or black with a robust morphology typical of myrmecine ants. All castes have a two-segmented 'waist' and pectinate spurs on all tibiae, along with propodeal spines and a sting in the females. Despite its size, T. caespitum is an aggressive ant and uses its sting freely; it is often the dominant ant species where abundant.

Distribution:

Distribution map

This species occurs predominantly along the south coast of England and up the west coast as far as North Wales, the Isle of Man, Ailsa Craig, Canna and West Sutherland. On the east coast there are records as far as north Norfolk, with a notable gap until the Berwickshire coast. The species is also recorded from coastal sites along southern and south-eastern Ireland. Inland, T. caespitum is found on some lowland heaths and south-facing hillsides in southern and eastern England.

Status (in Britain only):

This species is not regarded as being scarce or threatened.

Habitat:

The ant is a highly thermophilous species in Britain and it is mainly found in exposed, rocky coastal areas with short, sparse maritime vegetation. It is also found on some lowland heaths with short or patchy vegetation and a few south-facing rocky or sparsely vegetated slopes inland. It may be locally abundant at particularly suitable sites and it is often found with similarly thermophilous species such as Lasius alienus.

Flight period:

In Britain the mating flights of this species occur from late June to early August.

Foraging behaviour:

Workers forage by predation on other arthropods and by scavenging; they also feed on honeydew from root aphids. Seeds of herbs and grasses are also taken into their nest. The workers forage individually but can rapidly recruit other workers and form a trail to large food sources.

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Tetramorium caespitum

Nesting biology:

Nests are formed in sandy or peaty ground, under stones and in rock crevices. The surrounding vegetation is often sparse or close growing, allowing a high degree of insolation at the exposed nest surface. There is rarely an obvious surface structure, although some vegetation fragments may be loosely heaped up around plant stems near nest entrances. Colonies can be extremely populous and nests may be large ramifying structures with tunnels leading great distances; it is notoriously difficult to find the centre of a T. caespitum nest or the nest queen. At coastal sites, nests are usually found on crumbling, rocky cliff tops as far down as the high water line.

Parasites and commensals :

In Britain the rare socially parasitic ant species Strongylognathus testaceus and Tetramorium atratulum are found exclusively with T. caespitum.

Author of profile:

S P Hoy

Year profile last updated:

2016

Sapyga quinquepunctata

Authority:

(Fabricius,1781)

Identification keys and general biology are given in Richards (1980), Gauld and Bolton (1988) and Yeo & Corbet (1995).

Distribution:

Cornwall to Kent, and north to Westmorland and North-east Yorkshire.

Overseas found in much of Europe (including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Malta, Cyprus; the Middle East (Syria, Jordan, Israel, Turkey) and north Africa (Tunisia, Morocco).

Status (in Britain only):

This species is not regarded as being scarce or threatened.

Habitat:

Found in a wide variety of open habitats: woodland and shrubland, lowland heaths, chalk quarries, coastal cliffs, gardens and cemeteries. Often found flying around the nest sites of its hosts: mud, walls, holes in mortar, dead wood, old wooden posts, and snail shells.

Flight period:

Univoltine. Males are found during May and June, and rarely in July. Females occur mainly during June, often during May and July, or more rarely in April and August. In Cumbria, females may occasionally be found flying in mid-August (V. Russell 2016, pers. comm)

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Sapyga quinquepunctata

Flowers visited:

Thyme (Thymus sp, - Lamiaceae) is the only plant recorded in the BWARS Atlas, but it has since been seen foraging for nectar at flowers of Forget-me-not (Myosotis sp. - Boraginageae (J. Early 2016 pers. comm) and Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica - Asteraceae) in northern Cumbria (V. Russell 2016 pers.comm.).

Parasitic biology:

Cleptoparasitic on bees of the genus Osmia (O. bicornis (Linnaeus), O. leaiana (Kirby) and O. aurulenta (Panzer), O. caerulescens (Linnaeus) (Else, in prep.)) and Chelostoma. The female enters the nest of the host and lays an egg on or near the egg of the host. Gauld and Bolton (1988) indicate that the sting is used to penetrate the cell wall, thus acting as an ovipositor. P Westrich (pers.com., 1999) says that the egg is placed directly in the cell. On hatching, the first instar larva, which has large mandibles, eats the egg of the host. Later instars have smaller mandibles and feed on the stored food of the host.

Author of profile:

M E Archer.

Year profile last updated:

SR - August 2016

Hedychridium cupreum

Authority:

(Dahlbom,1845)

Previously known as H. integrum (Dahlbom, 1854). Identification keys and general biology are given in Morgan (1984), Gauld and Bolton (1988), Kunz (1994) and Linsenmaier (1997).

Distribution:

Dorset to West Sussex, north to Cumberland and South-east Yorkshire. Channel Islands.

Overseas found in many parts of Europe, particularly in the north (including Sweden, Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italian Alps, Poland, Austria, and Hungary).

Status (in Britain only):

Falk (1991) lists this species as Notable B [now known as Scarce (Nb)].

Habitat:

Found in open sandy situations, including coastal dunes, heathlands and disturbed locations such as sand pits.

Flight period:

Univoltine. From June until August but mainly during July.

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Hedychridium cupreum

Flowers visited:

No information available.

Parasitic biology:

A parasitoid on the mature larvae, or a cleptoparasite on the food stores of the sphecid wasp Dryudella pinguis (Dahlbom). The female enters the subterranean burrow of its host and lays an egg in each of the cells. No further information has been found.

Author of profile:

M E Archer.

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