Ivy Bees in Sussex

[exo]

Reports seem to be getting more regular in other counties,
but I keep reading that Sussex is a 'hole' in the distribution, for some reason.

My mum's got a garden with a 100ft+ long very mature ivy hedge,
so I thought there must be a chance of seeing some.

Today finally saw one - I hope, please confirm if you can,
pretty fuzzy photos I afraid but was rushed with someone-else's camera.

Was going to tag onto the end of Nick Smith's recentish post,
but thought maybe a Sussex-sighting thread would be appropriate.



Others insects seem to be loving the late warmth & massive ivy flower bloom,
not least of which about 1000 wasps, & many hoverflies species
+ a Painted Lady, along with at least 4 fresh looking Red Admirals

[eucera]

The fact is that there really IS a gap in records between the Hants border at Emsworth and the Seaford and Lewes areas a lot further east.

I would love to have the full details of these records as I am running the national data trawl. Check out Eyes open for Colletes hederae and you can find out how to submit records. Alternatively you could pm me here!

Stuart

[exo]

Sent PM with map coords

I'll keep an eye out from now on - weekends only at this site I'm afraid,
but isn't it likely to 'cold-snap' soon, which would end it anyway ?

[Nick Smith]

Originally Posted by exo

Sent PM with map coords

I'll keep an eye out from now on - weekends only at this site I'm afraid,
but isn't it likely to 'cold-snap' soon, which would end it anyway ?

Hello exo, just wondering where you are located, the site I found was at Ninfield near Bexhill. I was visiting at the time.

Cheers, Nick.

[exo]

The site local to me in East Grinstead was way inland relative to Ninfield,
would love to find where they're nesting.

If I've understood it right the influx of Ivy Bees over the last 10 years
has (maybe) been a progression from coastal sites,
but Stuart's bwars website has points as far inland as Bracknell or thereabouts.

[eucera]

Records this year have extended the range northwards: Plenty from the Abingdon area of Oxfordshire, A record from Cheltenham, and a couple from the Gower in S. Wales. Records from the southern counties as per the last few years. The bee is abundant on Ivy some 100m from my Salisbury home.

Genetic work is being undertaken with a view to trying to establish the number of invasion sites, but the hypothesis is that there are likely to be at least 4 (Devon, Dorset, Hastings and Folkestone)

[exo]

One thing I don't understand is whether this strong increase in distribution
is purely temperature related.

OK we've had a mild Autumn this year, but British weather is pretty variable.

The general trend is slowly warmer, but not so fast as to get continental species in holiday mood.

Data from an official weather station:


So since ivy is such a late flowering plant, and 50% of the years it's going to
be pretty cold & wet in October, then why are they attracted.
Or is it a case of once into the country, they can just about hold in any weather ?

Love the term 'invasion sites', makes it sound like Mars Attacks

[eucera]

You interesting graph shows that only 2 of the last 15 Octobers have been significantly below average temperatures, with 4 being significantly above average.

The bee flies from early September until early November and that gives it plenty of time to lay down provision for, maybe, some 20 eggs. I suspect the later onset of autumn frosts would be significant.

Ivy is a plant that tends to flower really well in warmer conditions, and the plant has been found flowering further and further north in Norway these last 15 years (previously almost entirely vegetative reproduction). It also has a very long flowering period (mid-August to December) and this means that forage will be available throughout the flight period, even if there are shifts in phenology

C. hederae has spread throughout its range, and marched northwards across Belgium and into the southern Netherlands in recent years. It has also apparently spread eastwards too, with recent records from Serbia (2010), Greece (2009), Cyprus (2010)

[exo]

OK, well that's statistics for you.

You seem to be saying that the plants are the ones responding to the
slowly warming temperatures, by going North, & the insects follow on.

So once they get six footholds, & the eggs/larvae can survive any winter extremes,
then they can gradually become a new settled species I guess.

Wonder if C. hederae is particularly robust in this respect, compared to others,
or can we expect many species to extend their range over the coming decades.

[Nick Smith]

Can I assume from the information sheet the Ivy bee is a late emerging bee? The reason I ask is I took a photo of a bee in March that I believe might be an Ivy bee.

going to upload the photo for comparison.

Be back soon for an edit



Actually I don't think this is as it is much darker.