What to look for: These bees have black bodies with dark orange tufts on the thorax and on the tips of their tails

Favourite plants: Blossoming shrubs

Making a nest: These bees build nests in small tunnels underground with volcano-shaped mounds marking the entrance

When active: Early spring to late summer

Orange-tailed mining bee

The orange-tailed mining bee has a black body with dark orange tufts on their thorax and on the tip of their tail. 

As with all mining bees, the females excavate tunnels in loose soil to construct their nests. The entrances of these tunnels are marked by unmistakable volcano-shaped mounds at their entrance.

You will most likely spot these solitary bees in spring and summer around their favourite flowering shrubs.

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