Gwynne's Mining Bee

I am awaiting confirmation from Jack but we think Mark has found a colony of Gwynne's Mining Bees and it's parasitic associate the Fabricius Nomad Bee. The flight season is right they are on the wing from March till early June . They are smaller than the Honey Bee the females being a reddish brown on top of the thorax, with an entirely black haired face.The males are completely different being a lot smaller and have an entirely black body. It's parasitic associate the Fabricius Nomad Bee was nesting amongst the mining bees and is a small to medium sized reddish nomad with two yellow spots on its sides and has almost entirely black face. We have confirmation from leading Bee expert Steven Falk they are Gwynne's a first for Astbury Mere.

Gwynne's Mining Bee (female).

Gwynne's Mining Bee (male).

Fabricius Nomad Bee.

Face of female Gwynne's.