Hairy-footed Flower Bee - Anthophora plumipes

Description

The male has long hairs on the lower parts of the middle legs, especially near the feet. Males and females are very different, with the male being orange and the female all-black. Confusion with other species is not likely in early spring as no common bumblebee is entirely black nor are the brown bumblebees generally as richly coloured as the male Anthophora. This species is able to hover well.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Gardens, parks etc. visiting tubular flowers such as Lungwort and Red Dead-nettle.

When to see it

March to May.

Life History

Nests in the ground and in the soft mortar of walls.

UK Status

Although found throughout Britain, records are very heavily concentrated in the south.

VC55 Status

Common in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Hairy-footed Flower Bee
Species group:
Bees, Wasps, Ants
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Hymenoptera
Family:
Apidae
Records on NatureSpot:
391
First record:
20/04/2007 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
26/03/2024 (Pochin, Christine)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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