Photo: Dick Belgers / CC BY 3.0
Andrena mitis
Gentle Mining Bee
One of the earliest bees to appear in spring (March–April), this medium-sized mining bee (10–12 mm) has long, dense yellowish-brown hair on the thorax and a glossy black abdomen with narrow white hair bands. It is oligolectic on willow (Salix) pollen and nests solitarily in self-excavated burrows in sandy or loamy soils in light forests and woodland edges. It overwinters as an adult. In Switzerland it is locally common in lowland and montane areas. Swiss Red List: Near Threatened (NT).
Species Facts
- Size
- 10–12 mm
- Flight Period
- March to May
- Nesting
- Ground
- Specialization
- Willow/Salix
- Abundance
- Uncommon
- Family
- Andrenidae
External Sources
This data has been cross-referenced with national sources:
Data Source & Copyright
| Category | Source / Author | License |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | Dick Belgers | CC BY 3.0 |
| Taxonomy & Distribution | InfoFauna Switzerland | Public data |
| Global Distribution | GBIF | CC BY 4.0 |
Data Quality
Adequate Last audit: 2026-05-22
Completeness: 100%
✓Photo exists✓Traits consistent✓Description quality✓Red List referenced✓Attribution verified
Confidence: 33%
IdentifiabilityLowImage confidenceLowImage qualityMediumTrait coherenceHigh
Risk flags
Hard to identify
Difficult to identify genus (andrena)
