Back to Bees

Ivy Bee

Colletes hederae

Basic Information

Common name: Ivy Bee
Scientific name: Colletes hederae

Fluffy head and thorax, smooth, banded abdomen.

Autumn bee seen later than other Plasterer bees.

Classification

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

Keynotes

  • A Plasterer bee

  • Last solitary bee to emerge in UK

  • Resemble honey bees and other Plasterer bees but with very clear, broad abdomen bands

  • Males slimmer than females

  • First noted on UK mainland in 2001

Nest Information

  • Bare, light soil in south-facing slopes, paths, crumbly cliffs

  • Horizontal burrow with vertical shafts

  • Large aggregations

  • August - November

Distribution

  • Southerly England and Wales, moving northwards

  • Habitat: Urban areas, lawns, parks, allotments, farms, coastal, heaths, dunes

Castes

MALE

August
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Orange-brown hair

  2. Orange-brown hair

  3. Smooth, cream bands

  4. Black tip

Tail:Black Tail, Black Tip
Thorax:All Ginger
Abdomen:Black, yellow, Banded
Head:Ginger Head, Black Head

FEMALE

August
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Orange-brown hair

  2. Orange-brown hair

  3. Smooth, cream bands

  4. Black tip

Tail:Black Tail, Black Tip
Thorax:All Ginger
Abdomen:Black, yellow, Banded
Head:Black Head

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Loves Ivy.

  • ivy

  • bristly oxtongue

  • wall rocket

  • sea aster

  • heather

Ivy

Ivy

Hedera helix

🌼

Oxtongue

🌼

Wall rocket