HYMENOPTERA > APOCRITA | Aculeata > APOIDEA > Colletidae

Hylaeus communis is the most frequently encountered species in this genus, occurring throughout much of Britain from the south coast to Cumbria and Yorkshire, albeit with rather local and scattered distribution in some areas. Males can be distinguished by their facial pattern even when you only have a partial view as the photos below. Individual females are more difficult due to similarity with Hylaeus pectoralis. They can be found in a wide range of habitats and visit many different plants for nectar. The species nests in existing burrows of a suitable diameter, particularly in dead wood and stems, but also in masonry crevices or directly in the soil. Their flight period is from late May to around mid-September.