Andrena fulva – the tawny mining bee, female on lesser celandine flower, covered in pollen.

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As their name suggests, female Tawny mining bees dig holes in the ground to provide a safe nesting place where they can lay their eggs and the young bees can develop before emerging the following year. Unlike honey bees or most bumblebees, Andrena species are solitary and work on their own to build a nest and collect pollen for the young to feed on.

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Size: 5100px × 3387px
Location: Oxfordshire UK
Photo credit: © Julian Brooks / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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