Ivy Cellophane Bee (Colletes hederae)

OTHER NAMES: Ivy Bee
Latin Etymology: Colletes ("plasterer") hederae ("ivy")

Ivy Cellophane Bee (Colletes hederae) at Geddington, Northants, UK - September 2026

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 13mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A common species of Europe which emerges in Autumn to feed upon ivy flowers. They are a solitary bee species and so nest in loose sandy soils, and are only active until the beginning of November, at which point only the larvae remain to emerge again the following year. They have a bold, black and white striped abdomen more remeniscent of a wasp than of a bee.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Colletidae
Genus: Colletes
SUBSPECIES: ?
 
- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - 

 - Seen in Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto