Appearance
4.5–7 mm. Indistinguishable from other Hylaeus species in the field.Naming
From Latin "communis" = "common, common"; this species is one of the most common masked bees.Habitat
As a pronounced ubiquist, the species occurs in a wide variety of habitats, both in dry and more humid locations, e.g. along forest edges, on clearings and clearcuts, in field hedges, in blackberry bushes, in sand, gravel and clay pits, on railway embankments, regularly also in residential areas in gardens, parks and on ruderal areas. From the lowlands to the subalpine altitude.This species is at least partially bivoltine. Flight time from mid or late May to September. A partial second generation flies from early August to September.Visits flowers and is an extremely polylectic species. The females were observed on the following plant species: Alliaceae: "Allium schoenoprasum, Allium sphaerocephalon, Allium porrum, Allium cepa"; Apiaceae: "Daucus carota", "Aegopodium podagraria"; Asteraceae: "Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare, Achillea millefolium, Achillea filipendulina, Tanacetum vulgare, Solidago canadensis, Leontodon autumnalis"; Boraginaceae: "Echium vulgare"; Brassicaceae: "Sinapis arvensis"; Campanulaceae: "Campanula rotundifolia"; Crassulaceae: "Sedum rupestre"; Lamiaceae: "Galeopsis angustifolia"; Lythraceae: "Lythrum salicaria"; Resedaceae: "Reseda lutea, Reseda luteola". The males also visit many flowers.
"Hylaeus communis "nests in existing cavities; in medullary stems, tendrils and twigs, e.g. Blackberry, Elder, Roses; in abandoned oak galls by "Andricus kollari"; in old reed galls of "Lipara lucens", also in nesting aids.
Narrow-bellied wasps of the genus Gasteruption and ore wasps of the genus Coelopencyrtus were observed as nest parasites. Occasionally adults are attacked by Strepsiptera.
References:
Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.
