Colletes cunicularius
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Colletes cunicularius, the vernal colletes or spring mining bee, is a species of solitary bee from the family Colletidae which is widespread in the Palearctic from Britain to the Pacific Ocean which nests in areas of open, sandy soil.
Colletes cinicularius is a large species of Colletes which has an unbanded, hairy, black abdomen which contrasts with the thorax which is covered with brown hair. The most likely confusion species in Britain is Andrena scotica as this also has an early flight period but C. cunicularius is larger than A.scotica with longer antennae and does not have a fovea on the face. The males are smaller and paler than the females.
Colletes cunicularius is widespread in the Palearactic from Great Britain in the west to the Pacific coasts of Siberia and China in the east. In Great Britain it was restricted to the western coastal areas between south Wales and Cumbria but it has been expanding its range inland. As of 2015 it had recently colonised Jersey from the nearby continent and this may also be the source of Colletes cunicularius which have begun to breed in southern England.
Colletes cunicularius is... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Early Cellophane Bee sighting in Bavarian Forest National Park on a given day, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 288th most-seen of the 1115 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report an Early Cellophane Bee in Bavarian Forest National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May to February, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Early Cellophane Bee sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Early Cellophane Bee sightings, Bavarian Forest National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Wadden Sea National Park (Germany, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Early Cellophane Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Bavarian Forest National Park (17 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
