Vernal Mining Bee
Colletes cunicularius
Tap image to enlarge · Wikimedia Commons
Overview
The Vernal Mining Bee is one of the Sefton Coast's most remarkable wildlife events — the mass emergence in late March or April when hundreds of bees appear simultaneously from sandy banks in the dune system. The timing is triggered by warm weather and synchronised with Creeping Willow flowering. Females excavate horizontal burrows in old blowouts and provision them with Creeping Willow pollen. Despite looking communal, each burrow belongs to one female. Red Data Book Rare. The Sefton Coast is the type locality for the subspecies.
At a Glance
| Order | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Colletidae |
| Habitat | Semi-fixed yellow dune with old blowouts · South-facing sandy bank |
| Diet | Adults: Creeping Willow pollen almost exclusively. Larvae: Creeping Willow pollen provisions. |
| UK population | Red Data Book Rare — restricted to coastal dune systems in northwest England and Wales. Sefton Coast is the type locality for the subspecies. |
| Sefton Coast | The Sefton Coast (from Birkdale to Hightown) is one of the most important sites in the UK. Hightown is the type locality for the subspecies celticus. |
| Conservation | UK Red List |
Where to See It
Sandy banks and old blowouts in semi-fixed dunes at Ainsdale NNR and Birkdale. Mass emergence from late March in warm years.
Identification
Medium solitary bee. Female: dark with pale hair bands on abdomen. Male: paler, tawny-haired. Associated with Creeping Willow in dune slacks March–May. Nests in sandy banks in old blowouts.
Viewing & Photography Tips
Visit Ainsdale NNR in the last week of March or early April after the first warm spell. Look for sandy banks with dozens of bee burrow holes and males hovering overhead. The window is short — the bees disappear as soon as Creeping Willow catkins go over.
Conservation Status
UK Red List
This species is of serious conservation concern in the UK. Its presence on the Sefton Coast is important for local and national monitoring and habitat management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Vernal Mining Bee only found near Creeping Willow?
The Vernal Mining Bee (subspecies celticus) is oligolectic — it collects pollen from one plant only: Creeping Willow (Salix repens). The timing of the bee's emergence is precisely synchronised with Creeping Willow catkin production. Without Creeping Willow in bloom, females cannot provision their nests and the colony fails. This tight relationship makes the bee entirely dependent on the health of Creeping Willow populations in the dune slacks.
What makes the mass emergence of Vernal Mining Bees so special?
Hundreds of bees emerge from their overwintering burrows simultaneously after the first warm period triggers emergence. Males hatch first and hover over the nesting banks waiting for females. When females emerge they are immediately mated. The spectacle — clouds of bees, constant movement, the sound of buzzing over a warm sandy bank — is extraordinary, and the window is only a few weeks before the Creeping Willow catkins go over and the bees disappear for another year.
Related Species
Plan your visit to the Sefton Coast
Marshside RSPB, Formby pinewoods, Ainsdale NNR — practical guides to getting there, what to bring, and the best spots for each season.