Northern colletes

The bees are medium-sized (with a head-to-body length of around 8–15 mm) and slender. They have a black abdomen, with narrow white bands on each segment. Tawny hairs cover the top of the thorax, with somewhat paler hairs on the face. They are very similar to other species within the genus Colletes and, if more than one of these species shares the same habitat, microscopic examination can be necessary to distinguish between them. Females are slightly larger than the males, possessing slightly longer abdomens, which are also darker and glossier.{{cite web|url=http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/invertebrates_terrestrial_and_freshwater/Colletes_floralis/more_info.html|title=Northern colletes (Colletes floralis)|access-date=2007-09-14|work=ARKive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011035812/http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/invertebrates_terrestrial_and_freshwater/Colletes_floralis/more_info.html|archive-date=2008-10-11|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://habitas.org.uk/priority/species.asp?item=9599 |title=Colletes floralis – Northern Colletes |access-date=2007-09-14 |work=HabitasOnline |publisher=National Museums Northern Ireland}}

Adult northern colletes emerge in late June, and are active until late August. The bees are active only when the temperature is warm. The males emerge one or two days before the females. The females probably mate soon after emergence. The males then die, while the female constructs a burrow which may be as much as 26 cm deep. The female produces a secretion from glands in the mouth, forming a cellophane-like coating{{cite web|url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/biodiversity/keyspecies/invertebrates/colletesbee/about.asp|title=About the Northern Colletes bee|access-date=2007-09-14 |publisher=Royal Society for the Protection of Birds}} for the burrow. Each egg is sealed inside an individual cell, with enough regurgitated nectar and pollen to feed the larva throughout the winter. The larva lives underground, pupating in its burrow and emerging the following June as an adult. As northern colletes do not form colonies, there are no worker bees.{{cite press release | title =Remote Scottish islands a stronghold for one of the UK's rarest insects | publisher =Royal Society for the Protection of Birds | date =2007-09-13 | url =http://www.rspb.org.uk/media/releases/details.asp?id=tcm:9-169804}}

Image:Berneray Machair (hazelisles).jpg in the Outer Hebrides is a typical habit for this species.]]

This is a rare bee. It can be found in Britain and Ireland, where it nests on the coasts of Ireland{{Cite web |url=http://www.tcd.ie/Zoology/research/Bees/display_record.php?id=53#Colletes_floralis |title=Record Sheet - Bees of Ireland - Zoology - Trinity College Dublin |access-date=2010-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421161042/http://www.tcd.ie/Zoology/research/Bees/display_record.php?id=53#Colletes_floralis |archive-date=2008-04-21 |url-status=dead }} and northern England, while in Scotland it can be found on islands as well as coastal areas of the mainland. Elsewhere in northern Europe, it is present in low densities in Scandinavia, again in coastal areas. It appears to prefer south-facing slopes with low, sparse vegetation; the bee forages in nearby flower-rich areas.{{cite web|url=http://nbn.nhm.ac.uk/nhm/bin/nbntaxa.dll/taxon_details?taxon_key=NBNSYS0000009599|title=Details for Colletes floralis Eversmann|work=National Biodiversity Network's Species Dictionary|access-date=2007-09-14|publisher=Natural History Museum}} In southern Europe, however, it inhabits higher altitudes, being found in the Pyrenees, Carpathians and Altay Mountains.

One of the most significant habitats for this species of bee is the machair (coastal duneland) of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland where it was reported in September, 2007 that eleven previously unknown colonies had been discovered.{{cite news |first=David |last=Ross |title=Rare species of burrowing bee has flourished in Outer Hebrides |url=http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1684785.0.0.php |work=The Herald |date=2007-09-13 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830161642/http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1684785.0.0.php |archivedate=2009-08-30 }}

The bee has been assessed under IUCN regional red list guidelines for the island of Ireland. The species has a threat category of vulnerable in Ireland.Fitzpatrick, U., T.E. Murray, A. Byrne, R.J. Paxton & M.J.F. Brown (2006) "Regional red list of Irish Bees (PDF)". Report to National Parks and Wildlife The species is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan species and a species action plan was published for Northern Ireland in 2006.Anon. 2006. Action plan details - Northern Ireland Action Plans. http://ukbap-reporting.org.uk/plans/lbap_complete_plan.asp?NI=1&X=%7BF5EDB283%2DD649%2D46E4%2DB04E%2DA308A9B09968%7D {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091117142639/http://www.ukbap-reporting.org.uk/plans/lbap_complete_plan.asp?NI=1&X=%7BF5EDB283%2DD649%2D46E4%2DB04E%2DA308A9B09968%7D |date=2009-11-17 }}

• Colletes

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20m?kind=Colletes+floralis Worldwide map of Colletes floralis]

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Category:Colletidae

Category:Hymenoptera of Europe

Category:Insects described in 1852