Clark's Mining Bee

Appearance

Identification: 10-13 mm. Male with brown hair with loose tergite bands. Rarely on flowers, more on tree bark basking. In the field not not to distinguish from similar Andrena species. Female easy to determine in the field: very densely hairy, with black hairs on the abdomen and reddish brown hair on the mesonotum. Hind legs fox red with equally colored rail brush. Small specimens resemble ''Andrena bicolor''. Terminal fringe dark brown.

Naming

Etymology: KIRBY named the species in honor of Bracey CLARK, an English entomologist.

Behavior

Flight period: In one generation from early March to mid-May.

Habitat

Habitat: Affinity to forests; forest fringes, forest clearings, clear cuts, preferred on sandy soil. From the lowlands to the subalpine altitude.

Reproduction

Nest building: Bare to sparsely overgrown areas in sparse forests Forest fringes or clearings, preferably in sandy soil, but also nests in humus soils, mostly in smaller aggregations with low nest density. The nest entrance is locked before each food supply flight. One to four brood cells are created per nest, often only 5 cm, a maximum of 30 cm below the surface.

Food

Pollen sources: Oligolectic on willows.

Predators

Parasites: cuckoo bee is ''Nomada leucophthalma''. As another nest parasite ''Bombylius major'' was observed. Adults are sometimes infested with ''Stylops melittae''.