Best Mining Bee

Andrena hattorfiana is a specialist mining bee native to Europe. It’s notable for its exclusive reliance on field scabious flowers as a food source and its critically endangered status. This bee plays a vital role in pollination within its limited habitat and is of interest to entomologists studying...

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...

Colletes hederae, the ivy mining bee, is a late-flying European species first described in 1937 that strictly forages on the nectar of blooming ivy plants.

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 cineraria is a Palearctic mining bee commonly known for its striking black and grey appearance, often nesting in large aggregations in sandy soils.

Andrena astragali is a North American mining bee described in 1914, notable for gathering pollen from toxic death camas plants in the genus Toxicoscordion.

Dasypoda hirtipes, commonly known as the Pantaloon Bee, is a solitary bee species native to Europe. It belongs to the Melittidae family and is notable for its distinctive orange hairs on its hind legs – a trait that gives it its name. These mining bees create deep underground nests where they collec...

The Tawny Mining Bee *Andrena fulva* is a solitary bee found across Europe. Females possess distinctive reddish-orange coloration, used for species recognition. These bees create underground nests within grassy areas and lawns. They are important pollinators, particularly valued by gardeners and eco...

Andrena vaga, commonly known as the grey-backed mining bee, is a solitary bee species found across Europe. It is oligolectic, meaning females collect pollen almost exclusively from willow (Salix) species to provision their nests. The species forms dense nesting aggregations in sandy or gravelly soil...

The ashy mining bee, Andrena cineraria, is a solitary ground-nesting bee found across much of Europe and parts of Asia. Females are readily recognized by a black body crossed by two broad bands of pale grey hair, while males are slimmer and more uniformly haired. Each female excavates a burrow with...

Andrena flavipes, commonly called the yellow-legged mining bee, is a solitary ground-nesting bee with a broad distribution across the Palearctic region. Females excavate individual nests in soil, although many nests may occur close together in loose aggregations where conditions are suitable. The sp...

Andrena clarkella is an early-spring mining bee found across Europe and North America. It is a specialist pollinator, foraging primarily on willow blossoms for nectar and pollen. The bee nests in the ground, often in sandy soils, and is active from March to May.

Andrena erigeniae is a North American mining bee described by Robertson in 1891, notable for specializing on spring beauty flowers in the genus Claytonia.

Andrena haemorrhoa, commonly known as the early mining bee, is a solitary bee species widely distributed across Europe. As a spring-flying insect, it typically emerges early in the season to forage on the nectar and pollen of flowering trees and plants. The bee is physically identified by distinctiv...

Andrena bicolor is a mining bee native to Europe and North America, notable for its ground-nesting habits and described by Fabricius in 1775.

Andrena praecox is a Palearctic mining bee described by Scopoli in 1763, notable as an early-spring specialist that gathers pollen from willows.

The Grey Mining Bee (Andrena vaga) is a solitary insect belonging to the Andrenidae family. It is easily recognized by its striking, dense grey hair and early spring emergence, making it one of the first bees to appear as temperatures rise. The species is a pollen specialist, or oligolege, that reli...

Colletes succinctus, the heather mining bee, is a European species recognized for its strict oligolectic relationship with heather plants in sandy heathland environments.

The orange-tailed mining bee, Andrena haemorrhoa, is a solitary ground-nesting bee found across much of Europe and active mainly during spring. Females are recognizable by the reddish-orange hairs at the tip of the abdomen, while males are slimmer and less conspicuously marked. The species visits ma...

Andrena fuscipes is a Palearctic mining bee described by Kirby in 1802, notable for its close association with heathers in the genus Calluna.

The Yellow-legged Mining Bee (Andrena flavipes) is a solitary, ground-nesting bee species widely distributed across Europe. It is identifiable by the dense, bright yellow or orange pollen-collecting hairs on its hind legs, which are particularly prominent on females. The species is known to nest in...

Andrena nitida, commonly known as the grey-patched mining bee, is a solitary bee species prevalent across Europe. It typically emerges during the spring season and is recognized by its distinct physical characteristics, which include bright fox-red hairs covering its thorax and a prominent white ban...

Andrena asteris is a North American mining bee described by Robertson in 1891, notable for specializing on pollen from asters and related composites.

Andrena nigroaenea, commonly known as the buffish mining bee, is a solitary bee species belonging to the family Andrenidae. It is widely distributed across Europe and active in spring, typically from March to May. Females construct nesting burrows in the ground, often in sandy or loose soils. The sp...

Andrena nigroaenea, commonly known as the buffish mining bee, is a solitary bee species widely distributed across Europe. Emerging in the spring, females excavate nesting burrows in the ground, often in sandy soils or lawns. They are important pollinators for various fruit trees and are particularly...

Andrena marginata is a European mining bee recognized by the distinctive yellow margins on its abdomen, described by Fabricius in 1776.

Gwynne's Mining Bee (Andrena bicolor) is a solitary ground-nesting bee belonging to the family Andrenidae. It is widely distributed across Eurasia and is recognized for its bivoltine life cycle. This means the species produces two distinct generations each year, with one flying in the spring and the...

Andrena thoracica is a large, robust species of mining bee native to the Palearctic region, particularly across Europe. The species is easily identified by the female's distinctive bright orange-red hind legs and thorax, which contrast with its dark abdomen. As a solitary bee, it constructs ground n...