Andrena agilissima
Andrena agilissima is a small mining bee found across much of Europe, the Near East and North Africa. Adults are active from April to July. This bee collects pollen almost exclusively from a few mustard-family plants (Brassicaceae), especially wild radish and wild mustard.
It nests underground in vertical surfaces such as earth walls. Many females share a nest entrance, but there is little teamwork or division of labor, so it’s considered communal rather than truly social. Mating happens in early spring inside the nesting area, and females typically mate only once.
Foraging usually happens around mid-day, between about 11:00 and 13:00, and bees don’t travel far from their nest—usually up to 300 meters. Adults are about 13–15 mm long, black with white, velvety hairs on parts of the face and body, and their wings have a bluish sheen.
Geographically, A. agilissima ranges from southern and central Europe to parts of the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa, and as far east as the former Czechoslovakia. It is not found in Great Britain but occurs on the Channel Islands. Changes in farming have reduced large nesting sites, so the species often forms meta-populations—many small local populations with occasional dispersal between them.
Two parasites can attack its nests: the scuttle fly Megaselia andrenae and the satellite fly Leucophora personata. These flies exploit the bees’ nests and nectar stores.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 16:42 (CET).