Wildlife Review 2024: Bees

Bees

A disappointing year with spring flying species, especially mining bees, suffering from the cold damp weather. A few species were "missing" this year, with others recorded in low numbers. In total forty-six species were recorded compared with fifty-five last year.

Colletes - Plasterer bees

Three out of the four species found on site were seen this year, with Bare-saddled Colletes C. fodiens the earliest on 17th June, commonly seen on Common Ragwort and Fleabane. A few Heather Colletes C. succinctus were occupying the patches of their foodplant from 7th August. Predictably Ivy Bee C. hederae was the last to emerge with males from September 9th, followed by females a couple of weeks later. Numbers dropped off sharply in October, with the last on the 19th.

Bare-saddled Colletes C. fodiens 9th July - Alan Keatley

Hylaeus - Yellow-face bees

An inconspicuous family of small black summer bees favouring umbellifers, daisies and dandelions. The shape of their face markings aid identification. Common Yellow-face Bee Hylaeus communis was the first recorded on 6th June. Two other species were seen later in the year, Hairy Yellow-face Bee H. hyalinatus on 27th July and Short-horned Yellow-face Bee H. brevicornis on 22nd August.

Common Yellow-face Bee Hylaeus communis 6th June - Alan Keatley

Andrena - Mining bees

As previously mentioned, a poor year for spring flying species, although summer flying species fared better. The first to emerge was an early Yellow-legged Mining Bee Andrena flavipes on 18th February, however less activity was noted at known nesting areas. The next were Chocolate Mining Bee A. scotica from 6th March and Small Sallow Mining Bee A. praecox on 18th March, with April emergences in order; Sandpit Mining Bee A. barbilabris (3th), Grey-patched Mining Bee A. nitida (6th), Short-fringed Mining Bee A. dorsata (13th), Orange-tailed Mining Bee A. haemorrhoa (21st) and Black Mining Bee A. pilipes (27th). 

Chocolate Mining Bee Andrena scotica 6th March - Alan Keatley

Late spring saw Ashy Mining Bee A. cineraria and Common Mini-mining Bee A. minutula both on May 20th. Last but not least, a Cat's-ear Mining Bee A. humilis found on 21st May, the first site record of this nationally scarce species for fifteen years. "Missing" mining bees this year included Gwynne's A. bicolor and Buffish A. nigroaenea.

Cat's-ear Mining Bee Andrena humilis 21st May - Alan Keatley

Panurgus - Shaggy bees

Black summer bees. Only one of the two species was noted this year, a Small Shaggy Bee Panurgus calcaratus on 27th June.

Small Shaggy Bee Panurgus calcaratus 27th June - Alan Keatley

Lasioglossum - Base-banded furrow bees

Mainly small black or metallic colony nesting bees. Green Furrow Bee Lasioglossum morio, the commonest furrow bee on site with colonies near Langstone Rock and along the Back Path both noted from 18th March. It has a long flight period until October with males appearing from June. Less common, a Shaggy Furrow Bee L. villosulum was found on 21st March, with a Long-faced Furrow Bee L. punctatissimum on 3rd April only the second site record following one in 2019. White-zoned Furrow Bee L. leucozomium were noted from 30th May, with two other species records, a Sharp-collared Furrow Bee L. malachurum on 18th July, a new species for the site and the last of the year, Common Furrow Bee L. calceatum on 9th September.

Sharp-collared Furrow Bee Lasioglossum malachurum 18th July - Alan Keatley

Sphecodes - Blood bees

Mainly small black and red cuckoo bees found in the vicinity of their host nests or nectaring on nearby flowers. Sandpit Blood Bee Sphecodes pellucidus is the commonest with the year's first on 4th May. A Geoffroy's Blood Bee S. geoffrellus, a cuckoo of Green Furrow Bee was recorded on 7th May and a Box-headed Blood Bee S. monilicornis, a cuckoo of various furrow bees was noted on 3rd June.

Dasypoda - Pantaloon bees

A large family with just a single British species, the distinctive Pantaloon Bee Dasypoda hirtipes was on the wing in low numbers from 9th July.

Osmia - Mason bees

The common Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis, first seen on 13th April was the only mason bee noted this year. Since the first record in 2019 sightings have increased and become more widespread.

Megachile - Leafcutter bees

Two of the three regular species were recorded this year. The common Silvery Leafcutter Megachile leachella was widespread on bramble and the sandy paths and dunes from 5th June into early September. The larger, but scarcer Coast Leafcutter M. maritima found in ones or twos from 16th July.

Silvery Leafcutter Megachile leachella - Alan Keatley

Coelioxys - Sharp-tail bees

Black and white cuckoos of Megachile bees. Two species were recorded this year; Large Sharp-tail Coelioxys conoidea, a cleptoparasite of Silvery Leafcutter from 6th June and a Shiny-vented Sharp-tail C. inermis, a cleptoparasite of Patchwork Leafcutter Megachile centuncularis on 27th July.

Large Sharp-tail Coelioxys conoidea 6th June - Alan Keatley

Nomada - Nomad bees

Colourful, wasp-like cleptoparasites, primarily of mining bees. Fewer records this year, mirroring the drop in mining bees. Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava was seen in low numbers from 16th April, with the only other species seen this year was a Painted Nomad Bee N. fucata from 9th May.

Painted Nomad Bee N. fucata 16th July - Alan Keatley

Epeolus - Variegated cuckoo bees

A cleptoparasite of Colletes bees, Black-thighed Epeolus E. variegatus was first recorded on 10th July.

Anthophora - Flower bees

Early spring Hairy-footed Flower Bee Anthophora plumipes were nectaring on the planted Rosemary from 18th March. The later summer Green-eyed Flower Bee A. bimaculata was on the wing visiting various flowers from 29th June.

Green-eyed Flower Bee Anthophora bimaculata 27th July - Alan Keatley

Bombus - Bumblebees

Except for summer Common Carder, it was a poor year for bumblebee species. Winter active queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris using ornamental Hebe as a nectar source, were active from 16th January, although the main emergence wasn't until March with fewer were noted this spring. Common Carder Bee B. pascuorum and Red-tailed Bumblebee B. lapidarius, very scarce this year, both emerged on 21st March, Early Bumblebee B. pratorum from 30th March and Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebee B. vestalis from 13th April  were the other spring bumblebees. Exceptionally a Tree Bumblebee B. hypnorum on 31st July was the only record of the year and Garden Bumblebee B. hortorum wasn't recorded until 24th August.

Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebee Bombus vestalis 29th July - Alan Keatley

Apis - Honey bees

Variable numbers of Honey Bee Apis mellifera, presumably from feral colonies, were first recorded on 24th March until late November. Visiting a wide range of flowers from Gorse in the spring to Ivy in the autumn. Numbers lower than previous years.