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Ivy bee

Ivy bee ©Jane Adams

Ivy bee

The ivy bee is a new arrival to the UK. First recorded here in 2001, it is slowly spreading north. It feeds mainly on the nectar of ivy flowers and can be seen in autumn when this plant is in bloom.

Scientific name

Colletes hederae

When to see

September to November

Species information

Statistics

Length: 1.0-1.3cm
Introduced, non-native species.

About

The ivy bee was first recorded in the UK in 2001, and has now been found in much of Southern England and Wales, and in the Channel Islands. As suggested by its common name, Ivy is the main plant used by this bee for pollen. It is seen when ivy is in flower, from early September to early November. Ivy bees nest in loose, light or sandy soil on southern-facing banks and cliffs with ivy nearby for foraging. They are solitary bees, but when conditions are suitable, there may be thousands of nests in the same area.

How to identify

The ivy bee looks similar to a honey bee; it has an orangey-brown, hairy thorax, and distinct black and yellow stripes on its abdomen.

Distribution

Found in Southern England and Wales, and the Channel Islands.

Did you know?

Ivy bees feed mainly on ivy, so they time their emergence to fit in with the flowering period of this common plant: late September to November.