About the species

Flight period:

March-September

Preferred environment:

Strongly associated with upland bog and heath sites.

Nesting biology:

Surface nesting

Flowers visited:

Polylectic - Anthyllis, Lotus, Rhododendron, Saxifraga, Silene, Cirsium, Vaccinium, Erica, Calluna, Potentilla, Prunella, Salix

World distribution:

Palaearctic region

Key identification features:

• a tricoloured bee
• this distinctive bee is best identified by its orange-red abdomen (only the first segment of the abdomen is black)
• males have a yellow face
• first recorded in Ireland in 1974
• currently known only from counties Antrim, Dublin, Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford.

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