Black-headed Mason Wasp (Odynerus melanocephalus)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Invertebrate > insect - hymenopteran > Wasp |
| Red List Status: | (Not Relevant) [(not listed)(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Odynerus melanocephalus |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | (Gmelin in Linnaeus, 1790) |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | (not listed) |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | Listed in Falk (1991) as Nationally Notable (Na). |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | No |
| Justification: | O. melanocephalus has now been found across central and southern England and East Anglia. Its English distribution has increased significantly since the 1997 BWARS Atlas. A definite northwards spread is apparent, possibly fuelled by climate change. |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | No |
| Justification: | Conservation of required habitats (nesting and foraging) ought to allow for stable populations within known range. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | This species has been found in a wide range of habitats, including heathland, grassland, soft rock cliffs, landslips and the fringes of upper saltmarsh and various brownfield locations such as brick pits, sand pits and railway embankments. |
Species Assessment
Not relevant as no Key Actions defined.
Key Actions
No Key Actions Defined
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.