Andrena cineraria - Ashy mining bee

We love all manner of pollinators here, did you know there are over 250 bee species in the UK? Here we have the Andrena cineraria - Ashy mining bee. These spring-flying solitary bees are common across most of England. The females excavate small tunnels in the earth to make their nests, they will either nest in groups or as single females. Females are the same size as honeybees with the males being smaller, but they both have similar markings. A glossy black abdomen with two distinct bands of light grey hair across the top and bottom of the thorax and white hair on the face. They particularly like fruit trees, blackthorn, hawthorn and buttercups, spring is on the way why don't you get out in the garden and see how many different bees you can spot?