Plasterer Bee vs Ashy Mining Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Plasterer Bee Ashy Mining Bee
Scientific Name Colletes hederae Andrena cineraria
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Colletidae Andrenidae
Size 10-13 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Plasterer Bee

A solitary bee discovered in 1993 that is a specialist pollinator of ivy flowers.

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Did You Know?

It lines its brood cells with a waterproof cellophane-like secretion.

Ashy Mining Bee

A striking black and grey solitary bee with silvery-white hair bands on its thorax. It nests in compacted soil and is one of the first bees to appear in spring.

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Did You Know?

Large aggregations of hundreds of nest holes can appear suddenly on garden lawns in April.