For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the U.K.
Ivy Mining Bees
Scientific name: Colletes hederae
Size: Up to 14mm
Distribution: Found mostly in southern England, south Wales and the Channel Islands
Months seen: September to November
Habitat: Sand dunes, meadows, parks, gardens and orchards
Food: Mostly ivy nectar and pollen
Special features: Ivy Mining Bees are solitary bees which nest in areas of exposed earth, often in large numbers. The tunnels which they excavate go down into the soil some 30cm or more.
Ivy Mining Bees have a yellow and black striped abdomen and the thorax is covered in orange-brown hair.
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