Trout lily bee
Andrena erythronii

The trout lily bee is a large mining bee that feeds on the nectar of trout lily flowers. 

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A close up of a trout lily bee feeding on the nectar of a yellow trout lily flower with pink and purple pistils.
Trout lily bees rely on the trout lily flower as a sole food source, hence their name. (Photo courtesy of bob15noble/iNaturalist CC BY-NC, cropped and toned)

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Appearance

The trout lily bee is a relatively large bee that is recognizable from their medium-long hairs that are brown on the thorax and create stripes on the abdomen. 

Feeding

The trout lily bee feeds almost exclusively on the nectar of the trout lily blossom, hence its name. While not its flower of choice, the bee will also feed on the nectar of the Virginia spring beauty and a few other flower species. 

Predators

Birds, reptiles, mammals and large insects are all common predators of the trout lily bee. 

Reproduction and life cycle

Trout lily bees reproduce through internal fertilization once a year, coinciding with the season of blooming trout lilies. Male trout lily bees will die shortly after mating, while the female will build an underground nest that has individual chambers for each egg. The female will then lay the egg along with placing a ball of pollen as a food source for the developing larva and the egg will hatch within a few days. Larvae will remain underground through the summer, fall and winter and pupate into adults by late winter or early spring. 

Did you know?

  • Trout lily bees are miner bees, meaning they are solitary, ground nesting bees. Unlike bees who form colonies and have a queen, females will excavate tunnels in the soil for individual nesting. 
  • The trout lily bee is very similar to the long-lipped mining bee, differing mainly in color.
  • Because they emerge only to collect the nectar of the trout lily flower, the lifespans of adult trout lily bees are only long enough to complete this task and find mates. Most adults only live up to 6 weeks. 

Sources and additional information

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