What type of bee?
April 13, 2010
We have three apple trees right next to our home and was outside looking for honey bees. I saw a few but mainly saw this type of bee. I have looked through some pics but can’t really determine which one it is. Any information would be appreciated.
Calvin
Salem, Indiana
Hi Calvin,
We believe these are Mining Bees in the genus Andrena, but we would defer to an expert in this matter. According to BugGuide: “They have facial foveae. This describes the pale bands of hair along the inside margins of the eyes. Actually, the facial foveae are the ‘grooves’ in the face from which those hairs emanate.” BugGuide also indicates: “Considering the large number of similar-looking species, identification to species level usually requires an expert. Andrena are more active than Apis at lower temperatures. For this and other reasons Andrena (and Osmia…) can be, on a per bee basis, superior pollinators in cold weather. Some species such as Andrena clarkella are exceptionally cold tolerant.“
