This bee is approximately 3/8 inch in length. It has buff-colored hairs on the face and large black eyes. The thorax is brown to black and the abdomen is brown with tan bands. Both are covered with buff-colored hairs. The legs are large and hairy. This bee was identified by volunteer experts at the BugGuide website.
This is a common early species that flies in spring. The Adrena in photos A and B was found on May 9th at Neale Woods. The Adrena in photos C and D was photographed on April 10th at Fontenelle Forest.
This is a solitary bee. There are about 480 species in North America. They nest in burrows in the soil and the entrance is usually hidden by leaf litter. The females waterproof the walls of the brood cells using a secretion from a gland in the abdomen.
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