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Field Note:
Date & Time: April 4, 2026, afternoon
- Species: Spring Beauty Mining Bee (Andrena)
- Weather: Clear skies, 70°F, breezy
- Location: Bluegrass region, Central Kentucky urban-park meadow.
“Pollinators of the forest’s ephemeral flowers”
Observation
Caught a glimpse of this tiny mining bee on a bare spot in a sunny field, nestled inside a Spring Beauty flower. Both species are among the earliest to emerge in early spring.
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Life Cycle and Habitat
The Spring Beauty Mining Bee emerges as an adult, mates, and forages to coincide with its host plant, the Spring Beauty. They can also be found near willows and Virginia bluebells. It prefers bare soil in sunny areas near deciduous woods or in lawns where females can create small, solitary underground burrows.
Social & Nesting Habits
This Mining bee is a solitary ground nester producing one brood per year. It is active in early spring and spends about eleven months underground.
During the spring, females construct underground brood chambers. They lay eggs and leave pollen balls to feed their young. Larvae develop throughout the summer, pupate, and remain in their underground chambers as adults during the winter. They emerge the following spring.
Pollen & Nectar Sources
Spring Beauty Mining bees are pollen specialists. They rely on two varieties of Spring Beauty flowers for pollen to feed their young: Virginia and Carolina Spring Beauties (Clayton Virginia and C. Caroliniana)
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Fun Facts
Pink Pollen Diet: Because the Spring Beauty Mining Bee relies solely on the Spring Beauty flower for pollen, it carries the pink pollen on its body when foraging or returning to the nest.
Ephemeral Life: Sweet Beauty Mining Bees and the Sweet Beauty flower coexist, both thriving for several weeks during the early spring season.
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