About Andrena lagopus Latreille, 1809
Andrena lagopus Latreille, 1809 is a species of mining bee. Males of this species reach a body length of about 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in), while females reach 9–10 mm (0.35–0.39 in). These bees have red hair covering the thorax, and a blackish abdomen with fine white hair bands at the ends of the tergites. Unlike all other species in the genus Andrena, female Andrena lagopus have only two submarginal cells on their forewings. The pollen-collecting brushes on their legs are beige. This species occurs across the Palearctic realm, with confirmed presence in Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, North Africa, and Northern Asia (excluding China). It is a thermophilic species that prefers habitats located below 500 m in elevation. It can be found from the end of April to the end of June, most commonly in rape fields, arable fields, meadows, and gardens. Adult bees primarily feed on nectar from plants in the Brassicaceae family, including Brassica napus, Barbarea vulgaris, and Cardamine pratensis, and from plants in the Caryophyllaceae family, specifically Silene gallica. Larvae feed on a mix of pollen and nectar. Nests of this species are constructed in sparsely vegetated ground.
