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Ashy Mining Bee

Andrena cineraria

Basic Information

Common name: Ashy Mining Bee
Scientific name: Andrena cineraria

Shiny, black, grey face, two grey bands.

Important crop pollinators in England.

Classification

Bee TypeSolitary
StatusCommon
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourBlack Tail

Keynotes

  • Males are fluffier than females

  • Large groups of males patrol nest sites

  • Look like male Sandpit but with black legs; and Grey-Backed Mining bees but have clear grey bands

  • Spring bee but occasionally new generation seen July and August

Nest Information

  • Ground nester; south facing slopes in short grass, bare ground, footpaths

  • Usually 1 cycle per year

  • March - June

  • Large aggregations

Distribution

  • England and Wales, localised in western Scotland but moving north

  • Habitat: heaths, moors, woods, coastal grassland, cliffs, brownfield, gardens

Castes

MALE

March
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Black, grey face

  2. Black, grey halo

  3. Black, grey bands

  4. Black, black leg hair

Tail:Black Tail
Thorax:Grey collar and rear band
Abdomen:All Black, Black / White bands
Head:Grey

FEMALE

April
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Black, grey face

  2. Collar, rear - grey

  3. Shiny black

  4. Black, black leg hair

Tail:Black Tail
Thorax:Grey collar and rear band
Abdomen:All Black, Black / White bands
Head:Grey

Flower Preferences

Visits spring-flowering shrubs.

  • blackthorn

  • fruit trees

  • buttercups

  • rock rose

  • spurges

  • thrift

Gorse

Gorse

Ulex

🌼

Hawthorn

Willow

Willow

Salix