One of a group of five generally distinctive summer-flying species, females of which all have the hind tibiae widest at the apex (i.e. triangular in outline), not before the apex, as in the vast majority of Andrena. The abdomens of these species have distinct, wide bands of long hairs on each dorsal segment, giving them a rather furry appearance overall. Separating the species within the group is rather more difficult. In fact there has been considerable discussion as to whether this species and Andrena nigriceps are the same… Read more

There has been considerable confusion over the correct name to apply to this distinctive spring flying species, A. nitida or A. pubescens. It is a large Andrena with, when fresh, bright, foxy-brown hair on the thorax and a polished black abdomen. Females have thin apical side-bars of white pubescence on abdominal segments 1-3, and males have copious white facial hair, especially on the clypeus.

Females are easily identified by their reddish antennae with several of the intermediate segments being black. This banded appearance is visible in the field. It is also the only Nomada species which, in the British Isles, has (in both sexes) a combination of bidentate mandibles and a black labrum; the gaster is mainly reddish.

A small Nomada immediately distinguished from all other British species by the raised, flat area between the antennal insertions (in other species this area is in the form of a longitudinal carina).

One of the larger British halictine bees with a body length in the region of 10mm. In common with most other bees of the genus Sphecodes it is black and red in general appearance. The red tends to be rather darker than in many other species and the wings are strongly infused with black, giving a very distinctive smoky appearance.

Small bees encountered in the flowers of tormentils (Potentilla spp.) on heaths and moorland should be examined closely as they may include this interesting species (the only British Andrena female to have a tridentate mandible, rather than a uni- or bidentate one). The male is one of a small number of British species to have a largely yellow clypeus.

A member of the Nomada ruficornis-group, a very large assemblage of about 382 species worldwide (Alexander & Schwarz 1994), of which 17 occur in the British Isles, and another species in the Channel Islands. N. signata is a very close relative of both N. flava and N. panzeri but, in the field, the female N. signata can be distinguished by a combination of uninterrupted transverse yellow bands on gastral tergites 2-4 and a pair of prominent, irregular yellow markings on the propodeum. The male requires closer examination as the band character… Read more

A small Nomada in which the gaster is mainly red with a pair of lateral yellow spots on gastral tergites 2 and 3; scutellum red.