Andrena fucata Smith, 1847
Distribution
Throughout much of Britain and Ireland, the range extending as far north as East Sutherland (Golspie) and including the Isle of Man. There are no records from the Channel Islands. A north and central European species occurring from northern Fennoscandia to Turkey and the central Urals.
Status (in Britain only)
This bee is not regarded as being scarce or threatened.
Habitat
Woodland, heaths, moors and coastal dunes. Rarely abundant.
Flight period
Univoltine; mid May to mid July, exceptionally early August.
Pollen collected
Polylectic. Chambers (1968) lists the following as pollen sources: a buttercup (Ranunculus sp.), cinquefoil (Potentilla sp.), common rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium), dewberry (Rubus caesius), mustard (Brassica sp.), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), rose (Rosa sp.), rough chervil (Chaerophyllum temulum), sheep's sorrel (Rumex acetosella), speedwell (Veronica sp.) and winter-cress (Barbarea vulgaris).
Nesting biology
The species is reported to nest solitarily (Kocourek, 1966; Dylewska, 1987; Westrich, 1989). However, R.C.L. Perkins (1919) found a small aggregation of about a dozen burrows placed close together.
Flowers visited
In addition to the forage species listed above, the bee has also been reported to visit bilberry (Vaccinium sp.), hawthorn (Crataegus sp.), plum (Prunus sp.), water-dropwort (Oenanthe sp.), wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides) and yellow pimpernel (Lysimachia nemorum).
Parasites
Nomada panzeri Lepeletier is a probable cleptoparasite of this species (R.C.L.Perkins, 1919; Westrich, 1989).
Year profile last updated
2005