NEWS
| February 2006 - Hairy Footed Flower Bees Flying! Maggie Frankum reported Anthophora plumipes males flying in her Leicester garden on February 27. An exceptionally early date for such a cold start to the spring. Here in Shropshire there has been no sign of any bees at all, not even Bumblebees such as Bombus terrestris, which are often flying at any hint of warmth. Mind you, we've had no warmth! |
| April 2006 - Signs of Life in
Shrewsbury.... Hairy footed flower bees are flying in Shrewsbury. A single male has been patrolling lungwort flowers for a week now, but still no signs of a female. Other solitary bees flying in the Shrewsbury area are Andrena fulva males, Andrena bicolor, Andrena minitula and Andrena clarkella. Quite a few bumblebees are also on the wing, with queens of four species seen - Bombus terrerstris, B lucorum, B pratorum and B pascuorum. |
 Left, a male
Andrena fulva on sallow catkin |