SOLITARY MINING BEE

After peering for some time at the drowned (still) Mining Bee that flew into my coffee today, (see comments on Hairy-Legged Mining Bee post), I thought I'd do some more research on the web, as the hind legs didn't quite look right for the "Hairy-Legged Mining Bee" (which I thought our bees were).



I've come to the conclusion, eventually, that our Mining Bees are, in fact, the much more common Solitary Mining Bee, or Andrena sp.

*****NB. 20/4/07. WATCHED MORE MINING BEES TODAY. THEY HAVE STRIPES ON THEIR ABDOMENS LIKE THE SWAMMERDAM'S BEES, SO I NOW THINK WE DO HAVE HAIRY-LEGGED MINING (SWAMMERDAM'S) BEES IN OUR GARDEN AS WELL AS THE SOLITARY MINING BEES...)******

The pollen on the hind legs make them look like they are hairy-legged mining bees, but I think that is just an illusion (to quote Leee John of the classic 1980's band Imagination...).



There are several species of Andrena (Solitary Mining Bees) living in gardens in the UK, ranging in size.

The photo below is one of the more common British garden Solitary Mining Bees - Andrena Haemorrhoa, and I think THIS is the type that took a swanny into my coffee at lunch today...