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Hairy-footed Flower Bee

Anthophora plumipes

Basic Information

Common name: Hairy-footed Flower Bee
Scientific name: Anthophora plumipes

Males: Fluffy, ginger, long leg hair Females: Fluffy, black, orange leg hair.

Often first bee to emerge in the year.

Classification

Bee TypeSolitary
StatusCommon
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourBlack Tail

Keynotes

  • Like small, round bumblebees with loud buzz

  • Often fly with long tongue extended

  • Fast, darting flight, can hover well

  • Collect pollen on legs

  • Males territorial and patrol nests and flowers

  • Might use a home-made bee brick

Nest Information

  • Old walls, soft mortar, cliffs, occasionally in compact, muddy slopes

  • Line nest with waterproof lining

  • February - June

  • Large aggregations

Distribution

  • England (especially south), Wales, more rare in Scotland

  • Urban areas, parks, gardens, parks, woods, quarries, cliffs

Castes

MALE

February
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Fluffy yellow, big eyes

  2. Ginger

  3. Ginger

  4. Ginger

  5. Middle legs are thin with long hair

Tail:Ginger/Yellow tail, Buff tail
Thorax:All Ginger
Abdomen:All Yellow/Ginger
Head:Ginger Head

FEMALE

March
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Black

  3. Black

  4. Black

  5. Orange-red leg hair

Tail:Black Tail
Thorax:All Black
Abdomen:All Black
Head:Black Head

Flower Preferences

Long tongue. Loves Lungwort.

  • cowslip

  • daffodil

  • dead nettles

  • honesty

  • primrose

  • willow

🌼

Borage

Gorse

Gorse

Ulex

🌼

Lungwort