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.

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.

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).

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.

A very distinctive bumblebee with extensive red marking over at least the last half of the abdomen, and a very bright yellow band on the front of the thorax. It is closely associated with higher altitude habitat and there may be some association with highland areas which support bilberries (Vaccinium spp.) It has also been recorded at sea-level in northern England and Scotland.

A distinctive Andrena species with a bluish-black cuticle and ash-grey hairs on the thorax and propodeum. Identification keys and general biology are given in Perkins (1919), Dylewska (1987), Schmid-Egger & Scheuchl (1997) and Else (in prep.).

A small, shining black bee with narrow apical bands of white hairs on the abdominal tergites. Identification characters are in Perkins (1919).