Definition
Andrena is a large genus of mining bees, characterized by their solitary nesting habits where each female constructs and provisions her own nest in the ground. They are crucial pollinators, particularly in early spring, visiting a wide range of flowering plants. These bees vary in size and appearance, but many have distinctive facial features. They are usually black or brown, sometimes with colorful pollen-collecting hairs. Imagine them as the worker bees of the solitary bee world. ๐ทโโ๏ธ