# Coneflower Mining Bee (*Andrena rudbeckiae*) The Coneflower Mining Bee is a small, fuzzy bee that loves to visit flowers, especially coneflowers! They help flowers grow by spreading pollen while they collect food for their babies. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Coneflower Mining Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Andrena_rudbeckiae_m.jpg&width=800) Photo: USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andrena_rudbeckiae_m.jpg) ## Appearance The Coneflower Mining Bee is a medium-sized bee with a black body covered in dense, yellowish-brown hair, especially on its thorax and legs. It has transparent wings and noticeable pollen-collecting hairs on its hind legs, giving it a fuzzy, golden-brown appearance, distinct from the shinier, less hairy appearance of honeybees. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Andrenidae - **Genus:** Andrena ## Interesting facts - Each baby bee gets its own special ball of pollen and nectar to eat! - Female Coneflower Mining Bees lay eggs in their very own underground 'apartments'! - These tiny bees often emerge from the ground on the very same day coneflowers bloom! - They are expert tunnelers, digging new homes every year for their families! ## Special abilities - **Pollen Porter:** Coneflower Mining Bee has special branched hairs that help them gather and carry huge amounts of pollen back to nourish their growing young. - **Underground Architect:** Coneflower Mining Bee can dig intricate tunnels in the soil using its strong jaws and legs, creating secure nurseries for its larvae. - **Flower Finder:** Coneflower Mining Bee can find its favorite coneflowers by detecting specific chemical scents because of its super-sensitive antennae. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 10-15 mm - **Size:** 7-10 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 12 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding They eat only pollen and nectar from flowers, especially coneflowers! - **Primary Foods:** Pollen, Nectar, Rudbeckia hirta, Echinacea purpurea - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Black-eyed Susan (*Rudbeckia hirta*) — Primary food source and host flower. - **Pollinates:** Purple Coneflower (*Echinacea purpurea*) — Crucial for this flower's reproduction. - **Parasitizes:** American Oil Beetle (*Meloe americanus*) — Larvae wait on flowers to hitch a ride to nests. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low These bees are friendly and won't sting unless they feel scared. Just watch them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Coneflower Mining Bee? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Coneflower Mining Bee's wingspan? 10-15 mm ### How big is Coneflower Mining Bee? 7-10 mm ### How long does Coneflower Mining Bee live? 30-60 days ### How fast can Coneflower Mining Bee fly? 12 km/h ### What does Coneflower Mining Bee eat? They eat only pollen and nectar from flowers, especially coneflowers! ### Where is Coneflower Mining Bee usually found? Grasslands ### How does Coneflower Mining Bee hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Coneflower Mining Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coneflower-mining-bee)