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Davies' Colletes

Colletes daviesanus

Basic Information

Common name: Davies' Colletes
Scientific name: Colletes daviesanus

Fluffy head and thorax, abdomen bands.

Plasterer bee: seen summer to autumn.

Classification

Bee TypeSolitary
StatusLess Common
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourBlack Tail

Keynotes

  • Smallest UK plasterer bee, main one found in gardens and only one to nest in walls

  • Difficult to identify - look like Ivy bees (but emerge earlier in year) and resemble honey bees (but not as smooth)

  • Called Plasterer bee because female uses tongue to line cells with cellophane-like substance

Nest Information

  • South-facing bare ground, walls, soft mortar, sandstone, cliffs

  • Dig tunnel with horizontal side shoots of 1 - 10 cells

  • Fly: June - September

  • Large aggregations

Distribution

  • Across the UK

  • Habitat: gardens, coastal dunes, sandstone cliffs, sandy grasses, paths, urban areas, field margins, soft mortar

Castes

MALE

May
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Pale-brown hair

  2. Short brown hair

  3. Shiny with pale bands

  4. Straight legs with short, pale hair

Tail:
Thorax:
Abdomen:
Head:Ginger Head

FEMALE

May
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Pale-brown hair

  2. Short brown hair

  3. Shiny with pale bands

  4. Straight legs with short, pale hair

Tail:
Thorax:
Abdomen:
Head:Ginger Head

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Like flowers in daisy family.

  • daisies

  • ragwort

  • chamomile

  • yarrow

  • dropwort

  • feverfew

🌼

Fleabane

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Oxeye daisies

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Tansy