Epeolus cruciger - Heather Variegated Cuckoo Bee

            Male

Poking about in North Northumberland on a day off once the tide had thrown me off Holy Island I ventured to Ford Moss a site I’ve often meant to visit but never got round too.

Found a few bits and pieces but not much new until I came across a small bee on a patch of thistles being whipped about in the strong winds that have plagued the summer up here.

Subsequent investigations revealed it to be a Variegated Cuckoo Bee, the Epeolus family, one that has very few, if any, records in Northumberland I certainly haven’t found many.

One of two pretty identical species they, like the avian Cuckoo, use others to raise their young, in this case the Heather Colletes Bee.  A return trip to the site revealed a couple of lone males of that species.  

There are several ‘common names’ for this species I’ve opted for Heather Variegated Bee as the Red-thighed Epeolus is now considered misleading given it is quite a variable feature.

Taken in: UK / England / Ford / Ford (show map)

Taken on: July 23, 2021

Tags:

Epeolus cruciger

Epeolus

Bees

Variegated Cuckoo Bee

Red-thighed Variegated Cuckoo Bee

Heather Variegated Cuckoo Bee

Heather Cuckoo Bee

Insect

Canon

Sigma

Northumberland

Ford Moss

Black and White Bee

Canon 7d Mark II

Sigma 105 Macro « less

Sets appears in: • Bees • Bees of Northumberland

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