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Hello,

29 March 2009
An unexpected treat was three or four individual Dotted Bee-flies, Bombylius discolor, using their long feeding tubes to take nectar on a large patch of Ground Ivy, Glechoma hederacea on Lancing Ring.


This is a notable record of a rarely recorded fly and is probably the first for Lancing. Bombylius discolor is a declining BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) species. In Great Britain this species is classified as Nationally Scarce.
Report by Ray Hamblett on the new Friends of Lancing Ring web pages.

http://www.glaucus.org.uk/March2009.html
http://folr.wordpress.com/

5 April 2009
There were frequent Dotted Bee-flies, Bombylius discolor, hovering in mid-air and visiting Ground Ivy on the Coastal Link Cyclepath near Shoreham Cement Works, Upper Beeding.

The larvae of the Dotted Bee-fly are parasites of solitary bees with the host species identified of Andrena flavipes and Andrena cineraria. Nomada fucata (recorded on Mill Hill) is a cleptoparasitoid of Andrena flavipes.

Further Information

Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Flies2006.html#Dotted

Cheers

Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2009.html

Adur Valley Nature Notes: April 2009
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/April2009.html