Red Bartsia Blunthorn Bee (M tricincta)

There are just four species of Blunthorn bees in the UK, named with reference to the final segment of their antennae, which are truncated. Their mouthparts also differ from Andrena (Mining) bees, which they most closely resemble.

As the name suggests, this bee relies almost exclusively on the wildflower, Red Bartsia. However, despite their food plant being present pretty much nationwide, the bee is only locally common and restricted predominantly to the south eastern corner of the UK, probably due to other environmental factors. In particular, it prefers chalk grassland or occasionally, open broad-leaved woodland on chalky soils.

It flies between late July and September, matching the flowering period of Red Bartsia, around which males will sometimes congregate waiting to pounce on passing females.

Other than knowing it nests in burrows dug into soil, little else in known about their ecology.