Photo: Line Sabroe / CC BY 2.0

Andrena helvola

Coppice Mining Bee

A medium-large mining bee (12–14 mm) with a black body and dense yellowish-brown hair on the thorax. The abdomen is glossy black with narrow white hair bands. Females have reddish-brown scopae on the hind legs. It is a generalist (polylectic) forager with a clear preference for Salicaceae, Rosaceae, and Rhamnaceae, visiting willow catkins, blackthorn, hawthorn, and fruit trees. It nests in self-excavated burrows in sparsely vegetated sandy or loamy soils in light forests, forest edges, and hedgerows. It is univoltine, flying from March to June. In Switzerland it is widespread from lowlands to montane elevations and is classified as Least Concern (LC).