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Dutch name:
family:
sub-family:
genus:
number:
number of species:
in survey:
flying period:
on Red List:
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Zandbijen
Fabricius, 1775
Andrenidae
Andreninae
Andrena
021
74
46
march till october
21 species (29%)
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Andrena fulva
© photo: Pieter van Breugel
Sandy pit with nests
© photo: Huib Koel
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description:
Andrena is the largest genus in the family Andrenidae, and is nearly worldwide in distribution, with the notable exceptions of
Oceania and South America. With over 1,300 species, it is one of the largest of all bee genera. Species are often brown to black
with whitish abdominal hair bands, though other colors are possible, most commonly reddish, but also including metallic blue or
green.
Body length commonly ranges between 8 - 17 mm with males smaller and more slender than females, which often show a black
triangle (the "pygidial plate") at the abdominal apex. In temperate areas, Andrena bees (both males and females) emerge from the
underground cells where their prepupae spend the winter, when the temperature ranges from about 20°C to 30°C. They mate, and the
females then seek sites for their nest burrows, where they construct small cells containing a ball of pollen mixed with nectar,
upon which an egg is laid, before each cell is sealed. Andrena usually prefer sandy soils for a nesting substrate, near or under
shrubs to be protected from heat and frost.
Andrena females can be readily distinguished from most other small bees by the possession of broad velvety areas in
between the compound eyes and the antennal bases, called "facial foveae". They also tend to have very long scopal hairs on the
trochanters of the hind leg. Most species also have a well-developed "corbicula", or pollen basket, on the sides of the thorax;
it is formed by an outer fringe of hairs and may or may not contain internal hairs.
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