I found this rare bee (7Sept.2007) in a nature reserve called 'Het Zwin' which is situated partly in Belgium and the Netherlands.
It was feeding on the flowers of a Brassicae on a sand hill very close to the shore.
There were three options; Colletes fodiens, Colletes hederae and Colletes halophilus.
As there was no hedera in the close proximity, being a vast area of wild dune vegetation and salt marshes the C.hederae was canceled out and the flying period of the C.fodiens seemed to have surpassed so there was left the C. halophilus and that particular one has been observed, though rarely, in the area I found it. I got its ID through a local study group.
It's a rare bee that has its specific habitat in this area.
bonitin
It was feeding on the flowers of a Brassicae on a sand hill very close to the shore.
There were three options; Colletes fodiens, Colletes hederae and Colletes halophilus.
As there was no hedera in the close proximity, being a vast area of wild dune vegetation and salt marshes the C.hederae was canceled out and the flying period of the C.fodiens seemed to have surpassed so there was left the C. halophilus and that particular one has been observed, though rarely, in the area I found it. I got its ID through a local study group.
It's a rare bee that has its specific habitat in this area.