An unmistakable spring bee, with the head and body entirely black except for a pair of lateral patches of white appressed hairs on most of the gastral tergites. However, in some individuals, these patches are also black, so that the bee is entirely melanic.

A. labialis is among the largest of our Andrena species and the male is very distinctive, having a large yellow area on the face between the mandibles. Males patrol along hedge-lines and over tall vegetation which contains early-flowering legumes (Fabaceae), such as yellow vetchling (Lathyrus sp.).

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

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.

With its swift, darting flight and predilection for lungwort (Pulmonaria spp.) flowers, this attractive bee is commonly encountered in private gardens in southern England in the spring and early summer. Sexual dimorphism is strongly pronounced, the male being clothed mainly with bright reddish brown hairs, the female entirely black-haired, except for reddish orange scopal hairs on the hind tibia.

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.

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 very distinctive bumblebee with extensive red marking over the last quarter of the abdomen and no yellow bands on the thorax of the females; males have the red tail and (usually) extensive yellow markings on the face and thorax. Confusion with the much rarer B. ruderarius is possible as the basic colour pattern is similar. However, the abdomen of the female B. ruderarius is approximately circular in outline, whilst that of B. lapidarius is distinctly elongate. The corbicular hairs of female B. lapidarius… Read more