Andrena praecox

The Andrena praecox is an oligolectic bee, meaning it specifically gathers pollen almost exclusively from willow trees (Salix species). Females emerge very early in the spring to coincide exactly with the blooming of willow catkins. Without willows, this mining bee cannot successfully provision its nests.

As its name "praecox" suggests, this bee is one of the earliest spring pollinators to emerge, often appearing as early as March. They are highly adapted to flying in cooler temperatures when most other insects are still dormant. You will frequently see them actively foraging on willows before the leaves have fully grown.

It is a mining bee, so females dig nesting tunnels directly into the ground, typically in sandy or loose soil. They prefer bare ground that gets plenty of sunlight to keep the nest warm. Each female constructs her own individual nest, though they often nest close together in large, buzzing aggregations.

The species was officially described by the Austrian naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1763. Scopoli was a prominent early taxonomist who classified hundreds of insects and plants. His early, meticulous work laid the groundwork for modern entomology.