mining bee; andrenid bee
Refers to bees of the family Andrenidae, commonly known as mining bees. Typically used in biological or nature contexts.
In spring, mining bees start building nests in the ground.
A mining bee observation event is held in this park.
Katakana spelling is common for this insect name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare; the word is usually written in kana.
Compound of 姫 (hime, 'small' or 'princess') + 花蜂 (hanabachi, 'flower bee'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely refers to the relatively small size of these bees compared to other common bees.