Fork Tailed Flower Bee - Anthophora furcata

A medium-sized (10 to14 mm), hairy solitary bee. Unusually for Anthophora the mandible is tridentate, with both an inner and outer subapical tooth. It has a long tongue, almost as long as the body length when extended, and brown eyes. The male is dark, with chestnut-brown hair when fresh and a characteristic yellow face with little hair. Females are all brown, with a fringe of reddish hairs at the tip of the abdomen, and pollen collecting hairs on her hind legs.

Most solitary bees and wasps are difficult to identify, and can rarely be identified from photos taken in the field.  All red-rated records should include a photo, or set of photos, showing the key characters, which may require the specimen. Please include a face shot, side, top and wings.  Note whether male or female, explain how the specimen met the key characters and the key used.  We will accept records identified by a recognised local or national expert, or that have been identified via the BWARS’ Facebook noting the name of the person/organisation identifying the record (e.g. ‘Stuart Roberts, BWARS Facebook’).

Reported from gardens, woodland, grasslands, moors, heaths and fenlands.

Univoltine; late May to August or early September.

An unusual Anthophora species, which excavates its nest burrows in rotten wood, rather than in the soil.

Widely distributed in England and Wales; it is the only Anthophora species recorded from Scotland.

Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known.