Description
Body Length 7 – 13mm. The pile on the thorax is reddish brown. There are pale hairs on the first blackish tergites of the abdomen.
Habitat
Grasslands and hedgerows. They feed from the flowers of early shrubs, especially Blackthorn, but also visit other early herbaceous flowers.
Status and Distribution
Widespread but scattered though out southern England. Uncommon in Nottinghamshire and at Netherfield Lagoons.
Best Time to See
April to June.
Gallery
Blackthorn Mining Bee - Andrena varians - male - March 17th 2026
Blackthorn Mining Bee - Andrena varians - male - March 17th 2026
Blackthorn Mining Bee - Andrena varians - male - March 17th 2026
Blackthorn Mining Bee - Andrena varians - female - March 17th 2026
Blackthorn Mining Bee - Andrena varians - female - March 17th 2026
Blackthorn Mining Bee - Andrena varians - female - March 17th 2026 All photography taken at the Netherfield Lagoons, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire.