Best Andrena

Andrena cineraria is a species of mining bee found across Europe. It’s notable for its distinctive ashy-grey coloration, particularly on the thorax and head of female bees. These bees are ground nesters and play a role in pollinating various wildflowers. They are primarily studied by entomologists a...

Andrena fulva is a tawny mining bee native to Europe. It’s recognized by its distinctive vibrant orange coloration on female bees. These solitary bees construct nests within sandy or loamy soil, primarily in lawns and meadows, playing a vital role in pollination. They are of interest to naturalists,...

Andrena agilissima is a species of mining bee found throughout the Mediterranean region. This particular bee is notable for its distinctive black and white striped abdomen and specialized nesting behavior within sandy soils near coastal cliffs and riverbanks. It plays a role in pollinating mustard p...

Andrena vaga, the grey-backed mining bee, is a European species that strictly collects pollen from willow trees and forms massive nesting aggregations in open sandy soils.

Andrena flavipes, the yellow-legged mining bee, is an adaptable insect known to produce two generations annually and is expanding its range across Northern Europe.

Andrena clarkella is an early-spring mining bee distributed throughout the northern hemisphere that acts as a specialized pollinator, foraging almost exclusively on willow blossoms.

Andrena haemorrhoa, the early mining bee, is a widespread spring-flying solitary insect found across Europe, identified by fox-red hairs on its abdomen.

Andrena nitida, the grey-patched mining bee, is a common spring insect in Europe distinguished by bright fox-red hairs on its thorax and a prominent white band on its abdomen.

Andrena nigroaenea, the buffish mining bee, is a widespread European spring insect that serves as a crucial pollinator for orchards, particularly favoring apple and pear blossoms.

Andrena thoracica is a large, robust European mining bee easily recognized by the female's bright orange-red hind legs, which typically forages on plants in the legume family.

Andrena carantonica is a taxonomic name often applied to a large European mining bee, now mostly synonymized with Andrena scotica, a prominent springtime orchard pollinator.

Andrena dorsata, the short-fringed mining bee, is notable for its bivoltine life cycle, producing two distinct generations each year that forage across various European habitats.

Andrena barbilabris is a solitary mining bee that inhabits sandy soils across Europe, where females dig deep nesting burrows and heavily prefer to forage on willow tree pollen.

Andrena scotica is a large, fast-flying European mining bee that frequently nests in garden lawns and serves as a major early spring pollinator for hawthorn and fruit trees.

Andrena bimaculata, the two-spotted mining bee, is a widespread Eurasian species notable for its bivoltine life cycle and the distinctive pair of hair spots on the male's abdomen.

Andrena wilkella is a mining bee introduced to North America in the 1900s, where it successfully established itself as a widespread pollinator of clovers and leguminous plants.

Andrena labialis is a European mining bee notably characterized by its unusually expanded mouthparts, and it typically forages on nectar and pollen from leguminous plants.

Andrena trimmerana, Trimmer's mining bee, is a scarce European species recognized by its bivoltine life cycle, with a second generation emerging in late summer to pollinate ivy.

Andrena schencki is a brightly colored mining bee described in 1853, commonly found in sandy heathlands across Europe where it forages for pollen from willows and brambles.

Andrena albopunctata is a solitary mining bee that exhibits narrow floral specialization, exclusively collecting pollen from yellow-flowered plants in the Asteraceae family.

Andrena chrysosceles is a spring-flying mining bee distributed across Europe, distinguished by the bright, golden-orange pollen-collecting hairs found on the females' hind legs.

Andrena ovatula is a small European mining bee known for its ecological role as a pollinator of economically important crops, foraging predominantly on clover and other legumes.

Andrena minutula is a widespread but very small European mining bee, notoriously difficult to identify visually due to its close physical resemblance to many related species.

Andrena fuscosa is a large, dark-colored mining bee native to southern Europe and the Middle East, where it serves as a specialized pollinator for various wildflowers and orchids.