Best time to see: mid Jun to mid Aug
Key facts
Tiny solitary bees that nest in woodworm or beetle holes and plant stems
One species feeds on bellflowers (campanula) and another on buttercups
Widespread and fairly common in the southern half of England
Recognition
Slender dark bees, harebell up to 11mm long, buttercup up to 7mm; the sexes are similar
Females have a pollen brush under the abdomen, yellow with buttercup pollen or white with harebell pollen
Lifecycle
In summer the female constructs a series of chambers in each nest, laying an egg and supplying nectar and pollen as food
The eggs over-winter, then hatch out the following spring and develop within the nest, chewing their way out in summer
After mating, often conducted within flower heads, females repeat the cycle, dying out in autumn
© Tony Gunton
© Tony Gunton