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Tawny Mining Bee

Andrena fulva

Basic Information

Common name: Tawny Mining Bee
Scientific name: Andrena fulva

Females are fluffy, orange-red bees.

Spring bee found in gardens and parks.

Classification

Bee TypeSolitary
StatusCommon
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourGinger Tail

Keynotes

  • Brown males less recognisable than females

  • Females use mandibles to move soil

  • Pollen collected on legs and thorax

  • Seen in lawns, flowerbeds, footpaths

  • Can form large aggregations

  • One of over 65 Miner bees found in the UK

Nest Information

  • South-facing slopes and flat ground with bare soil

  • Vertical tunnel, horizontal side chambers

  • 1 cycle per year

Distribution

  • Across UK, less common in Scotland

  • Habitat: wide range and variety of habitats including urban areas, gardens, parks, field edges

Castes

MALE

March
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. White beard

  2. Brown hair

  3. Thin, pale brown bands

  4. Black

Tail:Black Tail
Thorax:
Abdomen:Banded
Head:

FEMALE

April
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Orange-red

  2. Orange-red

  3. Orange-red

  4. Orange-red

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

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Likes spring-flowering shrubs.

  • blackthorn

  • buttercups

  • cherry laurel

  • hawthorn

  • maples

  • plum

🌼

Currants

Dandelion

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Willow

Willow

Salix