A female Clark's Miner Bee on a green leaf seen within a sphere to magnify it. If you look through the wings you can see her full Pollen baskets.
This is a fairly large spring-flying mining bee with a strong association with willows. Females measure around 13-15mm and have a rich brick-red thoracic pile, black face and abdomen and prominent orange hindlegs. It is similar to Andrena bicolor but its appreciably larger size is a reliable way to positively identify this species. Males are smaller and slimmer with pale grey and buff hairs on the face, thorax and abdomen. They are one of the first solitary species to emerge each year.
Distribution in Ireland: Widely distributed across the island and fairly common, although probably under-recorded due to its arboreal foraging habits and early flight period.
Flight Period: Late March-early June, peaking in April with the blossoming of willow catkins.
Habitat: Lightly wooded areas, parks, scrub, coastal dunes with willows.
Flowers visited: Pollen is obtained entirely from willow species, particularly Sallow. Other spring flowers may occasionally be visited for nectar. Information from the Irish Naturalist.
Susan