Common Mourning Bee

Melecta albifrons

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The Common Mourning Bee (Melecta albifrons) is a distinctive, medium-sized cuckoo bee belonging to the family Apidae, measuring 12 to 14 mm in length. It is easily recognized by its dense, brownish-grey hair on the thorax and a glossy black abdomen marked with distinct white or pale yellow lateral spots. Widespread across Europe, Melecta albifrons is a brood parasite that does not collect pollen or build its own nests. Instead, females enter the underground burrows of hairy-footed flower bees (Anthophora plumipes) to lay their eggs, leaving their larvae to consume the host's stored provisions. Adults are active from April to June and can be spotted hovering low near clay banks, old walls, and sunny gardens.