Painted Mining Bee - Andrena fucata

Females most resemble A. varians and A. lapponica but have a white-haired face, white hair fringes on the sternites and brown rather than blackish hairs on the pollen brushes of the hind legs. Males are one of the species with very long mandibles that have a triangular projection at the base. The yellowish-brown hind tarsi and rather long but sparse hair fringes along the hind margins of the sternites help separate them from males of helvola and lapponica.

Most solitary bees and wasps are difficult to identify, and can rarely be identified from photos taken in the field.  All red-rated records should include a photo or set of photos of the specimen, illustrating the key characters taken from a standard key, which should also be referenced (e.g. ‘Falk, 2015’).  The full set of key characters are generally not visible in field photos and photos are rarely sharp enough. To aid in the verification of your records, please include face shot, side, top and wings.  The notes should state whether male or female, and explain how the specimen met the key characters.  Although NS may not be able to identify the species even if these reference photos are provided, the photos will be stored with the record and may allow it be identified in future.   Alternatively, NS will accept records identified by a recognised local or national expert, or that have been identified via BWARS’ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065021433202 .  If you have obtained this advice, please note the name of the person/organisation identifying the record in the ‘determiner’ field (e.g. ‘Stuart Roberts, BWARS Facebook’) rather than just a comment of ‘BWARS Facebook’.

It occurs in a variety of habitats, especially in and around blossom-rich woods and can cope with moorland edge.

Univoltine from mid-May to mid-July, exceptionally early August.

The nest burrows are usually solitary.

Found throughout much of Britain and Ireland, this is a fairly frequent species but rarely ever common.

Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known.