Skip to content
Hairy-footed flower bee
Menu
Hairy-footed flower bee
Menu

Hairy-footed flower bee

Hairy-footed flower bee, Anthophora plumipes.
This species is one of the first solitary bees to emerge in spring (as early as February) and people often confuse them for small bumblebees, although their quick darting flight motion is a good way to tell them apart. Males and females look very different from each other. Although they are solitary bees (with no workers or social structure) they often nest in large groups, which can be quite noisy. Inclined to nest in soft mortar.

Males are pale gingery brown in colour with distinctive cream coloured hair on their faces. They also have distinctive feathery hairs on their legs/feet. Females are black all over, except for orange/red hairs on their hind legs.