Osmia bicornis (Linnaeus, 1758)
(Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesOsmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee)
GenusOsmia (mason bees)
FamilyMEGACHILIDAE (a family of solitary bees)
SuperfamilyAPOIDEA (solitary and hive bees)
InfraorderAculeata (aculeates: bees, wasps and ants)
SuborderAPOCRITA (bees, wasps, ants and parasitoids)
OrderHYMENOPTERA (ants, bees and wasps, sawflies and parasitoid wasps)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Osmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee) :
1: Osmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee)
9 Apr 2020 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
Mating pair, just emerged from bee hotel, in emergence cage, indoors.
Image 1: Mating pair - dorso-lateral view - natural backgroundImage 2: Mating pair - dorso-lateral view - natural background (2)Image 3: Mating pair - front three-quarter view - natural backgroundImage 4: Mating pair - latero-dorsal view - natural backgroundImage 5: Mating pair - latero-dorsal view - natural background (2)Image 6: Pupal cocoons in mud cells in bee hotel - natural backgroundImage 7: Mating pair - dorsal view - enlarged - natural background
2: Osmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee)
21 Apr 2016 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
male, emerged from bee tube (sealed with grey mud)
Image 1: Male - dorsal view - enlarged - silver backgroundImage 2: Male - head, antennae and tongue - latero-anterior view - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 3: Male - lateral view - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 4: Male - ventral view - enlarged - silver background
3: Osmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee)
13 May 2015 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
Male, resting on outside of artificial nest box
Image 1: Male - lateral view - close-upImage 2: Male - resting on edge of nesting box
4: Osmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee)
13 May 2015 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
Female, visiting nest tube in artificial nest box
Image 1: Female at entrance to nest tube in nesting box
5: Osmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee)
12 May 2015 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
nesting in artificial nest box
Image 1: Female entering nest tube in nesting box
6: Osmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee)
22 Apr 2009 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
nesting in Red Masonry Bee nest on house wall
Image 1: In nesting tubes - enlarged

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Edwards, M. Wild bees of Scotland: Identification guide http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/wildlife/wild%20bees%20identification%20guide.pdf
Roberts, S. & Dean, R. 2012 Information Sheet 4: Red Mason-bee (Osmia bicornis)

Osmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Osmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 6 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Osmia bicornis (Red Mason Bee or Masonry Bee)
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