HYMENOPTERA > APOCRITA | Aculeata > APOIDEA > Colletidae

Colletes succintus is the darker and smaller of three closely-related species that are difficult to separate without proper examination, however the strong association with heather and dry heathland habitat is an important indicator for ID. Nesting occurs in sandy ground, typically slopes and banks, where aggregations can be large if conditions are suitable. Males start appearing in July with the females following a little later, usually peaking in August when the heather is flowering, and often persisting through September into October. The species is the main host for the cleptoparasitic bee Epeolus cruciger (present at this site) and the rare bee-fly Bombylius minor.