insectsandflight.com
all pictures © robin williams
revised 7-7-2021
Insects found at 'flats'
Hymenoptera
Digger wasp Pemphredon lugubris
Hymenopteran visitors
The following section shows and illustrates hymenopteran species identified at the 'flats' in the garden, with brief descriptions and, where possible, a photograph. It gives an idea of what may happen if bamboos and logs are set up in an open south-facing spot - although it may take a number of years to build up a full population. Actual numbers of species almost certainly exceed those identified. There is no way I can spend all the hours of the day during the nesting season, nor do I want to collect specimens of anything that emerges. In particular, the little black digger wasps that crowd the logs are difficult to identify, so some species are almost certainly missed each year. I remain astonished that such a variety of insects should be found on the flats, where there is little sign of them elsewhere in the garden. While the science of this is fascinating, the sheer fun of watching the colonies easily outweighs that aspect.
Specific numbers
hymenopteran species identified to date - 68
numbers at end description [e.g. 2-4] - show flight periods in months
Size in mm - head + body, without any protruding ovipositor
Species
Aclastus micator (Gravenhorst 1807) F 3-8mm M 3-8mm [Ichneumon, said to parasitise spider eggs, 2-4 & 8-11]
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Ancistrocerus nigricornis(Curtis 1826) F 9-13mm, M 9-13mm [mason wasp, preys on tortricid larvae mainly, common, 4-9]
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Ancistrocerus trifasciatus (Muller 1776) F 8-12mm, M 8-12mm [mason wasp, preys on caterpillars & chrysomelid larvae, not particularly common, 5-9]
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Anthophora plumipes (Pallas 1772) F 14-16, M 14-16, [mining bee, nests in banks normally (males have been found waiting in our log nest tunnels), 3-7]
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Anthidium manicatum (Linnaeus 1758) F 9-12mm, M 11-17mm [megachilid bee, nests in existing cavities, including wood, widespread, 5-8]
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Bathythrix claviger (Taschenberg 1845) F 6.5-10mm, M - [Ichneumon, 5]
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Binodoxys angelicae (Haliday 1833) F 1.3-2mm, M 1.3-1.5mm [braconid wasp, preys on aphids, 6]
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Chelostoma campanularum (Kirby 1802) F 5-7mm, M 5-7mm [solitary bee, locally common throughout England, 6-8]
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Chelostoma florisomne (Linnaeus 1758) F 8-11mm, M 7-11mm [solitary bee, local, woodland edge, 5-7]
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Chrysis angustula, Schenk 1856 7mm [jewel wasp, cuckoo on Ancistrocerus trifasciatus & Crabro spp, common, 5-8]
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Chrysis mediata (Linsenmaier 1959) 8mm [jewel wasp, cuckoo on Ancistrocerus trifasciata & Odynerus spinipes, moderately common, 5-8]
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Chrysura radians (Harris 1781) 10mm [jewel wasp, cuckoo on Osmia, possibly O. leaiana, widespread but rarely found, a regular here, 5-7]
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Clistopyga incitator (Fabricius 1793) [Ichneumon, common parasite of spider egg cocoons in crevices & holes, 5-10]
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Coelioxys conoidea (Illiger 1806) F11-15mm, M 11-14mm [cuckoo bee, parasite on Megachile maritima, coastal dunes, heaths, local, 6-8]
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Coelioxys elongata, Lepeletier 1841, F 12-14mm, M 11-12mm [cuckoo bee, on Megachile ligniseca, M. centuncularis, M. circumcincta, M. maritima & M. willughbiella, common, 6-8]
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Coelioxys inermis (Kirby 1802) F 10-14mm, M 9-12mm [cuckoo bee, on Megachile centuncularis, M. circumcincta & M. maritima, widespread but local, in gardens, 6-9]
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Coelioxys rufescens Lepeletier & Serville 1825 F 10-16mm, M 8-12mm [cuckoo bee, on Megachile circumcincta, Anthophora furcata and probably M. centuncularis and A. bimaculata, common, 6-8]
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Crossocerus annulipes, (Lepeletier & Brullé 1835) F 5-6mm, M 4.5-6mm [digger wasp, preys on Hemiptera, nests in decayed deciduous wood, common, 5-9]
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Crossocerus cetratus (Shuckard 1837) F 7-8mm, M 6.5-7.5mm [digger wasp, preys on small Diptera & others, rare & local, 5-8]
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Crossocerus distinguendus (Morawitz, A. 1866) F 5-6.5mm, M 4.5-5, [digger wasp, prey Diptera, spreading and more frequent, 6-8]
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Crossocerus elongatulus (Vander Linden 1829) F 5-6.5, M 5-8 [digger wasp, preys on Diptera, nests in dead wood & ground, universal, widespread, 5-9]
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Crossocerus megacephalus (Rossius 1790) F 7-9mm, M 6-8mm [digger wasp, preys on various Diptera, common, 5-9]
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Crossocerus nigritus (Lepeletier & Brullé 1835) F 6.5-7.5mm, M 6.5-7mm [digger wasp, preys on small Diptera, nests in dead wood, common, 5-8]
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Crossocerus podagricus (Vander Linden 1829) F 4-6mm, M 4-6mm [digger wasp preying on small diptera, nests in hard dead wood, common, 5-8]
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Crossocerus styrius (Kohl 1892) F 5.5-6.5mm, M 4.5-5.5mm [digger wasp, prey unknown, rare & local, 5-9]
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Ectemnius cavifrons (Thomson 1870) F 11-16mm, M 8-12.5mm [digger wasp, prey large hoverflies, nests in decayed wood, common, 6-10]
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Ectemnius cephalotes (Olivier 1792) F 12-17mm, M 8-12.5mm [digger wasp, preys on diptera, common, 7-9]
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Ectemnius continuus (Fabricius 1804) F 9.5-14.5 M 8-12mm [digger wasp, preys on Diptera, common, 5-9]
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Ectemnius lapidarius (Panzer 1804) F 9-12mm, M 7-11mm [digger wasp, preys on Diptera, common, 5-8]
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Ectemnius lituratus (Panzer 1804) F 9-14.5mm, M 9-14.5mm [digger wasp, preys on Diptera, not common, 5-8]
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Ephialtes manifestator (Linnaeus 1758) 15mm [ichneumon, parasitic on Hymenoptera, uncommon, 5-9]
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Formica lemani, Bondroit 1917 Q 7-9.5mm, W 4.5-7mm, M 8-9mm [ant, abundant on high moorland normally, year round]
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Gasteruption jaculator (Linnaeus 1758) F 14-18mm Male 12mm [parasitic wasp feeding on the food in the cells of solitary bees, common, summer]
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Gymnomerus laevipes (Shuckard 1837) F 11mm, M 8mm [mason wasp, nests in mud cells in hollow stems etc. local & not common, 5-8]
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Hoplitis claviventris (Thomson 1872) F 5-6mm, M 4.5-6mm [mason bee, common in south, 5-9]
bee nesting in cavities, stems, common, 5-9]
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Hylaeus communis, Nylander 1852 F 5-7mm, M 5-7m m [solitary bee nesting in cavities, stems, common, 5-9]
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Hylaeus confusus Nylander 1852 F 4.5-5mm, M 4.5-5mm [solitary bee nesting in cavities, common, 5-9]
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Ichneumon suspiciosus Wesmael 1844 F 9-13mm, M 9-13mm [ichneumon, common, parasite of Hepialus spp., 10]
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Lasius niger (Linnaeus 1758) D3-5mm, F 8-9mm M 3.5-5mm [ant, common, year round]
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Lissonota biguttata Holmgren 1860 F 6-9mm [ichneumon, parasitic on micro-moths, 7-8]
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Megachile centuncularis, (Linnaeus 1758) F 9-12mm, M 8-11mm [leaf-cutter bee, common, 6-8]
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Megachile ligniseca (Kirby 1802) F 13-15mm, M 10-14mm [leaf-cutter bee, common, 6-8]
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Megachile versicolor, Smith 1844 F 10-13mm, M 10-12mm [leaf-cutter bee, 5-9]
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Megachile willoughbiella (Kirby 1802) F 14-16mm, M 12-14mm [leaf-cutter bee, common, 6-8]
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Mimumesa dahlbomi (Wesmael 1852) F 7-9mm, M 6-8mm [digger wasp, frequent, 5-9]
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Monodontomerus obscurus, Westwood 1833, F 4.9mm [chalcid, parasitic on Osmia & megachalid spp.]
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Monosapyga clavicornis (Linnaeus 1758) F 7.5-12.2mm, M 8-10mm [solitary wasp, parasitic on Osmia & Chelostoma bees, 5-8]
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Osmia bicornis (=rufa) (Linnaeus 1758) F 10-12mm, M 9-12mm [mason bee, common, 3-7]
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Osmia caerulescens (Linnaeus 1758) F 9-10mm, M 8-9mm [mason bee, common, 4-8]
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Osmia leaiana (Kirby 1802) F 9-10mm, M 7-8mm [mason bee, common, 5-9]
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Passaloecus corniger, Shuckard 1837, F 5-6.5mm, M 4.5-6mm [digger wasp, prey aphids, common, 5-8]
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Hoplitis claviventris (Thomson 1872) F 5-6mm, M 4.5-6mm [mason bee, common in south, 5-9]
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Passaloecus eremita, Kohl 1893, F 5-6.5, M 4.5-6, [digger wasp, nests in straws and other holes, provisioned with aphids, locally common, 6-8]
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Passaloecus gracilis (Curtis 1834) F 4.5-5.5mm, M 3.5-5mm [digger wasp, nests in hollow plant stems & old beetle holes, prey Homoptera, common, 6-8]
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Passaloecus insignis (Vander Linden 1829) F 5-6mm, M 4.5-5.5mm [digger wasp, prey Homoptera, nests in old beetle holes, not common, 6-9]
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Pemphredon lugubris (Fabricius 1793) Female 9-12mm, Male 7.5-10mm [digger wasp, on aphids, common, 5-9]
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Perithous scurra (Panzer 1804) [ichneumon, parasite of digger wasps in wood, particularly Pemphredon spp.]
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Psenulus pallipes (Panzer 1798) F 6-8mm, M 5-7mm [digger wasp, preys on aphids, common, 5-8]
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Pteromalus apum (Retzius in Degeer 1783) [chalcid, parasitic on megachilid cocoons & butterfly pupae, 6-8]
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Sapyga quinquepunctata (Fabricius 1781) F 9-13, M 7-11mm [solitary wasp, parasitic on Osmia & Chelostoma bees, 5-7]
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Stelis punctulatissima (Kirby 1802) E 7-11mm, G7-11mm [cuckoo bee on Osmia leaiana, Osmia aurulenta & Anthidium manicatum, not common, 6-8]
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Stigmus solskyi, Morawitz 1864 F 3.5-5mm, M 3.4-5mm [digger wasp, nests in small beetle holes & cut stems, not very common, 6-8]
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Symmorphus bifasciatus (Linnaeus 1761) F 7.5-9.5mm, M 6.5-9mm [mason wasp, widespread in south, common, nests in deadwood, 5-9]
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Trioxys angelicae (Haliday 1833) 2-3mm [braconid wasp, parasitic on aphids, 6]
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Trychrisis cyanea (Linnaeus 1758) 6mm [jewel wasp, cuckoo on Trypoxylon &, possibly, Osmia, common, 5-9]
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Trypoxylon attenuatum, Smith, F. 1851 7-11mm [digger wasp, nesting in hollow stems & cavities, preys on spiders, common, 5-9]
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Trypoxylon clavicerum, Lepeletier & Serville 1828 F 7-10mm, M 6-11mm [digger wasp, nesting in hollow stems & roots, common, 5-9]
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Trypoxlon medium de Beaumont 1945 F 6.5-10, M 6-8.5mm [digger wasp, nests in stem cavities, preys on spiders, common, 5-9] ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Vespula germanica (Fabricius 1793) Q , W, M, [German wasp, social, nests in holes in trees and the ground, common and widespread, 2-9]
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Vespula rufa (Linnaeus 1758) Q 17-18mm, W 12-13mm, M 12-15mm [Red wasp, social, nests in hole in ground, widespread but not numerous, 2-9 (mostly 4-6)]
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Vespula vulgaris (Linnaeus 1758) Q 16-18mm, W 9-14mm, M 14-18mm [Common wasp, social, 3-9]
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