Sphecodes gibbus ( Linnaeus, 1758 )

Bogusch, Petr & Straka, Jakub, 2012, Review and identification of the cuckoo bees of central Europe (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Sphecodes), Zootaxa 3311, pp. 1-41 : 11

Sphecodes gibbus ( Linnaeus, 1758)

Described as: Sphex gibba Linnaeus, 1758: 571 .

Synonyms: Apis glabra Füessly, 1775: 51 .

Andrena ferruginea Olivier, 1789 , nomen novum for Nomada gibba Fabricius, 1775 (nec Linnaeus, 1758): 139. Apis gibbosa Christ, 1791 , nomen novum for Nomada gibba Fabricius, 1775 (nec Linnaeus, 1758): 177. Melitta picea Kirby, 1802: 48 –49.

Melitta sphecoides Kirby, 1802: 46 –47.

Andrena austriaca Fabricius, 1804: 325 .

Dichroa analis Illiger, 1806 , nomen novum for Nomada gibba Fabricius, 1775 (nec Linnaeus, 1758): 48. Sphecodes apicatus Smith, 1853: 36 –37.

Sphecodes nigripennis Morawitz, 1876: 257 .

Sphecodes sutor Nurse, 1903: 538 .

Sphecodes gibbus var. rufispinosus Meyer, 1920: 113 . Sphecodes gibbus var. turcestanicus Meyer, 1920: 113 . Sphecodes nippon Meyer, 1922: 171 .

Sphecodes castilianus Blüthgen, 1924: 473 –475.

Sphecodes lustrans Cockerell, 1931: 411 .

Sphecodes pergibbus Blüthgen, 1938: 50 .

Distribution. Nearly all of Europe (north to 63° N), the distribution area goes far into Asian mainland; also present in North Africa ( Warncke 1992).

Biology. Species of warm open or bushy habitats, more common in southern Europe (one of the most numerous Sphecodes species). In central Europe it shows affinity to warm biotopes, and is one of the most common species of Sphecodes . This species is very variable in appearance and also in host spectrum. Main hosts are larger or medium sized species of the genus Halictus . Westrich (1989) recorded H. quadricinctus , H. rubicundus , and H. sexcinctus (Fabricius) , Bogusch (2003) confirmed H. simplex Blüthgen as a host and presented Lasioglossum malachurum as a likely host. Other records of likely hosts are difficult to accept: Andrena vaga Panzer published by Möschler (1938) and Colletes cunicularius published by Riemann (1987). We observed a nesting site of A. vaga for several years, but no attempt to enter the nest by this cuckoo bee was observed, even though the activity of S. gibbus was observed few times. Westrich (1989) also put Halictus maculatus as likely host, which can be accepted. The list of hosts is probably larger than recently known and individual specialization to various hosts across the distribution area is likely.