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Andrena
''Andrena'' is a genus of bees in the family Andrenidae. With over 1,500 species, it is one of the largest genera of animals. It is a strongly monophyletic group that is difficult to split into more manageable divisions; currently, ''Andrena'' is organized into 104 subgenera. It is nearly worldwide in distribution, with the notable exceptions of Oceania and South America. Bees in this genus are commonly known as mining bees due to their ground-nesting lifestyle. Morphology ''Andrena'' are generally medium-sized bees; body length ranges between 8 and 17 mm with males being smaller and more slender than females. Most are black with white to tan hair, and their wings have either two or three submarginal cells. They carry pollen mainly on femoral scopal hairs, but many ''Andrena'' have an additional propodeal corbicula for carrying some pollen on their thorax. C. D. Michener (2007) ''The Bees of the World'', 2nd Edition, Johns Hopkins University Press. They can be distin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrena Bicolor
''Andrena bicolor'', or Gwynne's mining bee, is a common and widespread Western Palearctic mining bee which is found over most of Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East and which reaches eastwards into Siberia. Description ''Andrena bicolor'' is a small to medium-sized mining bee, with the males being slightly smaller than the females. The females have a coat of reddish-brown hairs on the dorsal surface of the thorax, a wholly black-haired face and indistinct bands of yellowish hairs on the margins of the first to third tergites. The spring brood can show an extensive black hair covering on the femur and the sides of the thorax, this is not as marked in the autumn brood. It has dark tibia on the hind legs but these have obvious orange hairs which have been said to resemble a pair of orange leg warmers. The spring brood males have black hairs on the head and side of the thorax and lack the bright colours of the females, while summer brood males often show brown hairs on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrena Agilissima
''Andrena agilissima'' is a species of mining bee. They are present in most of Europe, the Near East and North Africa and can be found from April through July. ''Andrena agilissima'' is an '' oligolectic'' species, feeding only on the pollen of a few genera of Cruciferous vegetables (Brassicaceae species, such as ''Brassica napus'', ''Brassica rapa'', ''Raphanus raphanistrum'', ''Barbarea vulgaris'' and ''Sinapis'' species). Taxonomy and phylogeny ''A. agilissima'' is a member of the order Hymenoptera, which includes wasps, bees, and ants. It is in the family Andrenidae, and the subfamily Andreninae. The genus ''Andrena'' is one of the largest genus of bees and comprises the sand or solitary mining bees. It was first listed under the Apis genera, but in 1775, Fabricus described this genus along with 14 other species. Most ''Andrena'' bees are solitary and a few are communal. Description and identification Description ''A. agilissima'' is an oligolectic bee, meaning that they ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrena Vaga (Burgwald)
''Andrena vaga'', the grey-backed mining bee, is a species of solitary bee which is found in most of Europe but which is very rare in Great Britain, where it may be recolonizing in the south-east after previously being extirpated. It specialises in feeding on the pollen of willows. Description ''A. vaga'' is a large mining bee, 13-15mm in length, which has the entire thorax clothed in grey hairs, sometimes showing a slight buff tinge, the scopae and hind have white hairs. It also has patches of white hairs on the abdomen sides. On closer examination the surface of the cuticle can be seen to be shiny metallic black. The face is covered with brownish hairs It resembles the ashy mining bee (''Andrena cineraria''). Males have the entire upper surface of the thorax covered in grey hair and pale hair on the hind tibia. When it can be seen, sternite 8 will show a downwards curve at its tip. The males have the sides and top of the face coloured white, with the bottom having long white ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
