A large, mainly dark mining bee, though the gasters of some females are occasionally extensively marked with red. In general, males are more commonly encountered than females, especially in the spring.

This small to medium-sized Andrena is strongly associated with loose, dry sandy soils in open, heathy situations. The females are quite colourful when fresh, but soon become dowdy. The males, which race over the surface of loose sand in the sun, wear out even more quickly and a bright silver-grey insect rapidly becomes a dull browny-black with few obvious hairs. It is closely related to the similar, but larger and spring-flying, Andrena barbilabris (Kirby). Although not restricted to visiting ericaceous flowers, the heathland flowering period suits this species very well… Read more

This medium-sized, spring-flying Andrena is strongly associated with loose, dry sandy soils. The females are quite colourful when fresh, but soon become dowdy. The males, which race over the surface of loose sand in the sun, wear out even more quickly and a bright silver-grey insect rapidly becomes a dull browny-black with few obvious hairs. It is closely related to the similar, but smaller and summer-flying, Andrena argentata Smith.

The females of this medium-sized Andrena are very like those of Andrena bicolor Fabricius, but can be found in May, between the main flight periods of that species. Careful examination of the clypeus of female Andrean angustior will show a faintly impressed vertical line, not present in bicolor. Males of Andrena angustior seem to be generally scarce, the reason is not known.

This bee is one of eleven British species in the subgenus Micrandrena. These are very small species (body length 5–7 mm) that have an entirely black body integument relieved only by feeble transverse lateral bands of silvery hairs on tergites 2–4. Several species present difficult challenges to identification, as this often requires an appreciation of very subtle differences in surface microsculpture on the metasomal tergites and puncture density on the mesonotum. More pictures and notes … Read more

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