Which bee/wasp/bumblebee is this?

Answer

Dear French,

You may be dealing with a species of wild bee that belongs to the sand bees (genus Andrena). There are about 80 species known in Belgium, and there are more details of eg. the abdomen and legs are needed to determine the species. An excellent guide for this is Steven Falk’s Veldgids Bees for the Netherlands and Flanders. The burrowing behavior is typical for sand bees. If you see one you will often see several, although they are solitary.

Sand bees are completely harmless and they don’t have a stinger to sting you with. Rather, they will help pollinate the flowers that are now popping up everywhere. Burrowing animals also provide aeration of the soil.

The large silk bee (Colletes cunicularius) also has underground nests and can sting. But for that species I would expect a hairier thorax. So I’m sticking to “a” sand bee.

Regards,

Peter