Arthropods Daily – Issue No. 298

Andrena bees are medium-sized with males being smaller and more slender than females, usually black with white to tan hair, and distinctive velvety areas on their faces called facial foveae. They are ground-nesting solitary bees that prefer sandy soils, creating burrows and provisions for their larvae without spinning cocoons. Andrena bees are active for a few weeks, have one generation per year, and are attacked by various insects. They are found in temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America, with some species in sub-Saharan Africa but none in South America, Australia, or Madagascar. Some species include Andrena cineraria in Europe and Andrena salicifloris in western North America.