Two-coloured Mason Bee - Osmia bicolor

The female of this small (12 mm) bee is particularly attractive, with a black head and thorax and bright gingery hairs covering the abdomen. In the male the ginger is less striking.

Various habitats.

April to July.

This is a bee that uses vacant snail-shells as nest sites. It uses masticated leaves to build up to five cells inside before camouflaging the shell with grass or dead leaves.

Mainly found south of a line between The Wash and the Severn Estuary.

Infrequent in Leicestershire and Rutland