Simple guide to solitary bees in Ireland_ part 2 - Pollinators

SIMPLE GUIDE TO SOLITARY BEESIN IRELANDPART 2Guide to speciesFeb 2013: © Úna FitzPatrick

GUIDE TO SPECIESThese are NOT keys. They are simply intended as aguide to help make the group more accessible tobeginners. They refer only to species currentlyknown from Ireland

Special thanks to Josef Dvořák who has very kindlyallowed his photographs of pinned specimens to beused in this guide.http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388

The following websites provide excellent information andphotographs of solitary beesFantastic site with maps,photographs and profiles ofBees from Britain & Irelandhttp://www.bwars.com

http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388/BioLib is an internationalencyclopaedia of plants,fungi and animals. It hasexcellent photographs ofsolitary bees.

http://pollinators.biodiversityireland.ie/There are species accountsfor all Irish bees on the IrishPollinator Initiative website.

BEES WITH TWO CELLS IN THEIR WINGS•Coelioxys•Osmia•Megachile•Hylaeus

2 cells in wingVery simple key to thegenera known from IrelandBee hairyBee small, black & almost hairlessHylaeusEyes hairyCoelioxysEyes not hairyFeet with prominentpad between clawsOsmiaFeet without a padbetween clawsMegachile

Coelioxys (Sharp tailed bees)Hairy eyes2 Irish species (C. inermis & C. elongata)Eyes hairyMedium sized bee (9-15mm)Tapered abdomen, particularly femalesRare but found in a range of habitatsCuckoo bees – they parasitise MegachilenestsSharply tapered abdomen,particularly females

FEMALES: When viewed under amicroscope, the abdominal segments havemuch denser punctuation (dots or pits onsurface) in C. elongata than in C. inermis .It is useful to get records ofCoelioxys at the genus level –the tapered abdomen isdistinctive

Osmia (Mason bees)2 Irish speciesChunky bee with large rounded abdomenO. aurulenta is coastal and nests only in empty snail shells. It is only found along the east andsoutheast coast.O.rufa is rare & known only from cities: Dublin, Belfast & Cork where it has probably beendeliberately introduced (commercially available in UK as a garden pollinator).It can be possible to spot Osmia aurulenta inaction in coastal sites along the east coast –check snail shellsmedium sized solitary species (7-12mm)females have ginger hairs on the thorax,and ginger hair bands on the abdomenwhich are most obvious at the tip© Michael O’Donnell

©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388

Megachile (Leaf cutter bees)6 Irish speciesUnderside of abdomenhairy – to store pollenMegachile centuncularisMegachile circumcinctaMegachile lignisecaMegachile maritimaMegachile versicolorMegachile willughbiellaLarge, chunky beeStores pollen on the underside of itsabdomenLeaf cutter bees cut out leaves/petals anduse these to build nestsFound in a range of habitatsGood key is available: Identification ofLeaf-cutter bees British Wildlife August1999; 390-393.When pinning it is important to pin outthe jaws as the teeth are used inidentificationM. willughbiella

©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388To positively ID Megachile tospecies you have to take a lethalsample and use microscopefacilities

Hylaeus (White faced bees)4 Irish speciesHylaeus brevicornisHylaeus communisHylaeus confususHylaeus hyalinatusSmall, black body, almosthairlessSmall, black bees (5-7mm)Face with yellow or white markingsAlmost hairlessFound in a range of habitatsFace with yellow or whitemarkings

Hylaeus males – have a look at the faceIf the face has yellowcurling around theantennal sockets it isHylaeus communisIf the mandibles arepartly yellow-white itis Hylaeus confususIf the mandibles areblack it is eitherHylaeus hyalinatus orHylaeus brevicornis©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388

Hylaeus females – have a look at the antennaeIf the antennae is entirely blackit is either Hylaeus communisor Hylaeus confususIf the antennae is not entirelyblack (pale on the underside) itis either Hylaeus hyalinatus orHylaeus brevicornis

A good key is availableon the BWARS website

BEES WITH THREE CELLS IN THEIR WINGS•Xylocopa•Sphecodes•Colletes•Halictus•Lasioglossum•Nomada•Andrena

Very simple key to thegenera known from Ireland3 cells in wingTwo genera are very distinctiveXylocopaSphecodesVery large entirely black beewith dark wingsAlmost hairless, black & red abdomen

3 cells in wingNot Xylocopa or SphecodesVery simple key to thegenera known from IrelandThis linearchedThis line smoothor with gentlecurveVery obvious hairbands on abdomenHair bands absentor not obviousLasioglossumHairyAndrenaAlmost hairlessNomadaCell on leftsimilar to oneon rightCell on leftlarger than oneon rightWasp like – abdomenwith yellow, black orred bandsColletesHalictus

Xylocopa (Carpenter bees)1 species: Xylocopa violaceaeVery large black beeNot unlike a giant black blue bottle!Nests in dead woodOnly 1 record – Waterford City in2007Could be identifiedin the field

Sphecodes (Cuckoo sweat bees)7 Irish speciesSphecodes ephippiusSphecodes ferruginatusSphecodes geoffrellusSphecodes gibbusSphecodes hyalinatusSphecodes monilicornisSphecodes pellucidusSmall to medium sized bees (6-12mm)Black with red on the abdomenParasite of Halictus/Lasioglossum andfound in a variety of habitatsDifficult to identify to species level When pinning it is important to pinout genetalia & jawsS. eppiphiusRed on the abdomen isdistinctive of the genus

©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388Requires lethal sampling.Difficult to identify to species

ColletesDistinctive white hair bandson the abdomen4 Irish speciesColletes daviesanusColletes floralisColletes similisColletes succinctusMedium sized bee (8-13mm)Distinctive bands of white hair on theabdomenC. floralis, C. similis and C. daviesanus (v.rare) are all coastalIreland holds a significant proportion of theworld population of C. floralisC. succinctus occurs only on bog/heath andis a late summer species

Colletes succinctusmedium sized solitary species, butlargest Colletes species in Ireland (10-13mm)thorax with reddish hair (fades with age)both males and females with prominentbands of white hair on the abdomenRecorded from June-SeptemberOccurs on bogs/heaths where it feeds onheathersNests in large aggregations©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388With care females can be identifiedin the field. Look in the right habitatfor a solitary species with white hairbands on the abdomen

Colletes – coastal speciesC. similis C. floralis C. daviesanusCurrently found only oneast and south east coastRare and only found on sandycliffs in Ireland

Colletes – coastal femalesThe three species look superficiallysimilar.If the punctures (dots or pits on surface)of the first abdominal segment areseparated by a puncture width or more itis C. floralis or C. daviesanusIf the punctures (dots or pits on surface)on the first abdominal segment areseparated by considerably less than apuncture width it is C. similisThis is obviously difficult to determinethis without reference specimens – as aremany other features used in solitary beeidentification©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388Coastal females can onlybe positively identified bylethal sampling

Halictus (Sweat bees)With care femalescan be identified inthe field2 Irish speciesHalictus rubicundusmedium sized solitary species(9-12mm)females have ginger hairs onthorax, obvious white hairbands on the abdomen andorange hind legsmales are smaller and havehairier faces and a moreelongate abdomenvery commonCell on the rightlarger than theadjacent cell on theleft (=Halictus)Obvious hairbands onabdomenOrange legs©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388

Halictus tumulorumsmall sized solitary species (6-8mm)rarely recordedfemales have a shiny abdomen with thin white hairbands and dull orange/brown hind legsmales are smaller and have a more elongate abdomencan be confused with the smaller Lasioglossum species.©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388Can only be positivelyidentified by lethalsampling

Lasioglossum11 Irish speciesMainly small bees, often blackThree of the 11 species look metallicFound in a variety of habitatsCan be difficult to identify to species

Metallic (3)L. leucopus (5-6mm)L. smeathmanellum (5-7mm)L. cupromicans (6-7mm)The metallic colouring is not always this obviousNon metallic (8)L. albipes (7-10mm)L. calceatum (7-10mm)L. fratellum (7-9mm)L. lativentre (7-9mm)L. nitidiusculum (6-7mm)L. punctatissimum (6-7mm)L. rufitarse (7-8mm)L. villosulum (6-7mm)©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388

©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388Requires lethal sampling. Can bedifficult to identify to species

Nomada (Cuckoo bees)12 Irish speciesNomada argentataNomada fabricianaNomada flavoguttataNomada goodenianaNomada leucophthalmaNomada marshamellaNomada obtusifronsNomada panzeriNomada ruficornisNomada rufipesNomada sheppardanaNomada striataCan resemble wasps – oftenhave black, yellow or redstripes on abdomenCuckoo bees – they parasitiseAndrena nests

Three Nomada species have females that can be identified in the field. Thesespecies have an abdomen that is black and yellow only (no red markings)N. marshamella (9-13mm)N. goodeniana (9-13mm) N. rufipes (8-10mm)Orange/brown legs and antennae. Second yellow bandon abdomen is entire in N. goodeniana (not broken in thecentre) whereas in N. marshamella it is brokenYellow bands on abdomenwidely broken in N. rufipes©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388

The female of N. fabriciana (7-11mm) also has two distinctive features1. Not visible here but females have a distinctive twotone antennae- the tip and lower half are red/brownseparated by black segments in between.2. Bidentate (two teeth)©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388Can only be positivelyidentified by lethalsampling

There is one very small Nomada speciesN. sheppardanaVery small (4-6mm)Very rareExtinct in Ireland (last recorded 1902)©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388Can only be positivelyidentified by lethalsampling

Andrena (Mining bees)29 Irish speciesVery variable in form and occur from large speciesto very smallFound in a variety of habitatsThe solitary bee most often spotted by most peopleAndrena angustiorAndrena apicataAndrena barbilabrisAndrena bicolorAndrena cinerariaAndrena clarkellaAndrena coitanaAndrena denticulataAndrena fucataAndrena fulvaAndrena fuscipesAndrena haemorrhoaAndrena helvolaAndrena humilisAndrena lapponicaAndrena marginataAndrena minutulaAndrena nigroaeneaAndrena ovatulaAndrena pilipesAndrena praecoxAndrena rosaeAndrena semilaevisAndrena scoticaAndrena stragulataAndrena subopacaAndrena tarsataAndrena trimmeranaAndrena wilkella

Three Andrena species have females that can be identified in the fieldAndrena cineraria•The females are black, and have twodistinctive grey hair bands across thethorax (there are no other solitary beeslike this known from Ireland)•Large sized species (13-16mm)•It is a spring species and is generallyobserved between March – June. Theearliest it has been recorded in Ireland is22 nd March (2011).•Widespread. It is found in a range ofhabitats, but in Ireland it often relies onWillow as an early forage source•It nests in the ground. The nestentrances will be surrounded by avolcano-like mound of excavated spoil.Nests are often in dense aggregations

Three Andrena species have females that can be identified in the fieldAndrena haemorrhoa•The females are black, with aginger thorax, orange hind legs,and distinctive red hairs at the tipof the abdomen (there are otherAndrena species that look similarbut none with a red tippedabdomen).•Medium sized solitary species(11-13mm)•It emerges in spring, and can beseen from March – August•Common and widespread. It isfound in a range of habitat types,including parks and gardens

Three Andrena species have females that can be identified in the fieldAndrena fulva•A. fulva was last recorded in Kilkenny in1925, and was assumed extinct in Irelanduntil 2012.•In 2012 it was recorded in two locations: Co.Kilkenny (close to it’s 1925 location) and Co.Wicklow.•Females are very distinctive with bright redhairs on the thorax and abdomen.•Medium-large sized solitary species (12-14mm).•It is a spring species (March – June).•It nests in the ground. The nest entranceswill be surrounded by a volcano-like moundof excavated spoil.

Three Andrena species have females that have an orange hind leg©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388A. haemorrhoaOrange hind leg (both leg and hairs are orange)Andrena tarsataMedium sized (8-11mm)Mandible with 3 teethFeeds only on PotentillaSummer flight period (June- August)* Andrena haemorrhoa also has an orange hind tibia (photo above)

Andrena clarkella:Large (11-15mm)Tail hairs dark. Abdomen hairySpring flight period (March-June)Feeds only on willowAndrena wilkella:Large (10-12mm)Tail hairs golden. Abdomen baldMay - AugustFound in a range of habitats©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388

Three Andrena species have females that have an abdomen with red markings(all very rare)Andrena marginataTail redSummer flightGrassland species (Feeds on Scabiosa, Succisa, Knautia)Very rareAndrena rosaeTail blackSummer flight period (July-September)Very rare (last recorded 1896)Andrena stragulataTail blackSpring flight (March-April)Very rare (last recorded 1977)©Josef Dvořák: http://www.biolib.cz/en/gallery/dir388

Three Andrena species are very small (6-8mm)Andrena semilaevisAndrena subopacaAndrena minutula

Reference specimensHaving reference specimens for comparison isimportant for accurate solitary bee identification. Itis the intention of the National Biodiversity DataCentre to maintain a reference collection of Irishspecies which will be available for public use duringoffice hours.Grateful thanks are expressed to BWARS for help inestablishing this reference collection.

Keys to solitary beesUnfortunately, there are few accessible keysthat can be used for identifying solitary beesin Ireland. However, George Else is currentlycompleting a book which will include keys toall genera. Once published this will be aninvaluable resource:Handbook of the Bees of the British Isles

Submit recordsPlease submit your records of solitary bees tothe National Biodiversity Data Centre

http://records.biodiversityireland.ie

All records are validatedbefore being loaded intoBiodiversity Maps

Thanks to all those who havecontributed photographs to the DataCentre and made development of thisguide possible