Status
Conservation status
Least concern
Species Biology
Identification
- This distinctive bee is best identified by the orange-red hairs on its abdomen (only the first segment of the abdomen is black)
- Females have a yellow band at the top of the thorax and a thin yellow band at the base
- Males have two yellow bands on the thorax and a yellow face
- First recorded in Ireland in 1974
- Currently known only from counties Antrim, Dublin, Wicklow, Carlow, Wexford, Kilkenny & Waterford.
Habitat
Strongly associated with upland bog and heath sites. First recorded in the Dublin/Wicklow Mountains in 1974 and since spreading southwards. It was also recorded from the North in the 1980's but the only currently known populations there now are from the Antrim Coast.
Flight period
March-September
Nesting biology
Surface nesting
Flowers visited
Polylectic - Vaccinium is an important food source for queens but it also feeds on Anthyllis, Lotus, Rhododendron, Saxifraga, Silene, Cirsium, Erica, Calluna, Potentilla, Prunella, Salix
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Palaearctic region
Temporal change
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2025
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References
Publications
Conservation status: FitzPatrick Ú., Murray T.E., Byrne A., Paxton
R.J., Brown M.J.F. (2006) Regional Red List of Irish Bees, Publ. Rep. to
National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland) and Environment and Heritage
Service (N. Ireland). http://www.npws.ie/publications/red-lists
Flowers visited & World distribution: Westrich, P. (1989) Die Wildbienen
Baden-Württembergs. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, Germany.