WildBristol.uk - Discovering Wildlife in Bristol

Scattered and scarce south of a line between Bristol and the Thames. Habitat includes: Places with Umbellifers such as chalk downland, soft-rock cliffs, vegetated shingle (especially where Wild Carrot is abundant), on coastal grazing marsh (Upright Hedge-parsley) etc. Flight period: June to September. Life story: Nesting occurs in sparsely-vegetated ground, with a preference for dry, clay-rich soils, and nesting aggregations have been noted. Diet: Pollen from umbellifers. Parasites: The very rare Purbeck Nomad Bee (Nomada errans) which may now be extinct in Britain. Also possibly N. rufipes (Salisbury Plain).