Colletes hederae

Ivy Bee 🐝🌿

This medium-sized solitary bee belongs to the Colletidae family and was discovered in 1993.
Colletidae have very specific dietary preferences and generally collect pollen from one or a few species of plants.
For example, Colletes hederae feeds almost exclusively on ivy, so it is observed only in autumn when the plant blooms 🌿🌼
Colletes hederae nests in cavities in sandy soils. Although it is a solitary bee, it can nest in large numbers with tens of thousands of nests close together.
⁉️ Did you know? 😲
Colletidae line the walls of their cells with a transparent membrane… that resembles cellophane.
Photo Pixabay