Hedychridium cupreum (Dahlbom,1845)
Description and notes
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.
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.