Family: Apidae. (Honey bee family is also Apidae) Subfamily: Nomadinae
Length 5 to 9mm Epeolus variegatus (Linnaeus, 1758) Black – thighed Epeolus.

Flight Season: June to October.
Epeolus, (100 species approx. worldwide) is a genus of cuckoo bee, belonging to the tribe Epeolini, often known as variegated cuckoo - bees.
A widespread and a common species in sandy areas, can be found over most of south Europe, as far north as the southern and south-eastern coastline of England, scarce in northern England and northern Europe.
A genus of cuckoo bee, being cleptoparasite of mining bees, belonging to the family Colletidae, (Colletes).
Flowers visited, will mostly visit same flowers as Colletes, Particularly Common Ragwort and plants belonging to the thistle family,
Habitat: In various habitats, especially where you would find the “host Collete” bee nesting. This being mostly in sandy areas, sandpits, scrubland, coastal areas, dry open land, including dunes and soft rock cliffs.