HYMENOPTERA > APOCRITA | Aculeata > APOIDEA > Andrenidae

The 'mini-miners' of the subgenus Micrandrena are usually separated from their larger Andrena relatives for ease of reference and comparison purposes but, given that to date I've only photographed one species, I've left this entry in alphabetical order.

Whilst ten species are described, only six are likely to be encountered and, locally to me, I think that there are probably only four that need to be considered, which is good to know as they can be very difficult to distinguish. Andrena minutula is by far the most frequently observed and, in fact, according to the NBN Atlas, it's the only 'mini-miner' species recorded in Dorset since 2011. The records for the other three possible species Andrena minutuloides, Andrena semilaevis and Andrena subopaca go back much further.

Andrena minutula has a wing length of around 5mm, much smaller than any of the regularly encountered Andrena mining bee species. The size is obviously a good indicator that the individual is a 'mini-miner', but from there it becomes more difficult, particularly as Andrena minutula shares certain identifying features with both Andrena minutuloides and Andrena subopaca. In Andrena minutuloides the females have a noticeably shinier appearance with sparser punctures, whereas in Andrena subopaca the thorax is much duller and has very weak punctures. Andrena minutula also has a dull thorax, but with more defined and more compact punctures.

All considered, I'm pretty sure that both these individuals are Andrena minutula. They can be found in a variety of open and wooded areas across much of the country from March to September with a spring and summer generation.