Hawk's-beard Mining Bee

The hawk's-beard mining-bee has a body length of nine to ten millimeters. The color is largely black, but the hind legs and middle body have an orange or golden yellow coat, which is seen as the most striking feature of the species. The males and females can only be kept apart with certainty by studying the genitals.

The habitat of the bee consists of grasslands, such as dry meadows, which border forests. The species is monolectic, which means that it only goes to one genus or species to pollinate. The Hawk's-Beard Mining-Bee therefore collects only nectar and pollen from the species from the composite family. It prefers mouse ear, cat's ear, and hawksbeard. The Hawk's-Beard Mining-Bee is a solitary bee species and therefore does not live in a eusociality like some bee species. The nests are buried in few overgrown places, often alone or in small groups, and usually in sandy soils. The period during which the species can be found lasts from May to July.