A polylectic species.
Flowers visited: Else (in prep.) notes that the species visits Raphanus (Brassicaceae); Rubus (Rosaceae); Anthyllis vulneraria (Fabaceae); and Centaurea nigra (Asteraceae).
Rasmont (1988) lists the following forage species: Trifolium sp., Trifolium pratense (Fabaceae); Viola canina (Violaceae); Eryngium sp. (Apiaceae); Calluna vulgaris (Ericaceae); Symphytum officinale (Scrophulariaceae); Lamium sp., Glechoma hederacea (Lamiaceae); Dipsacaceae; Carduus sp., Centaurea jacea, Taraxacum sp. (Asteraceae)
In the Aleutian islands it is recorded visiting Aconitum maximum
(Ranunculaceae); Geranium erianthum (Geraniaceae) and Lupinus nootkatensis (Fabaceae) (Williams & Thomas, 2005).
Edwards & Jenner (2005) state that the bee has a very close association withTrifolium pratense (Fabaceae), but will also visit Trifolium pratense and Lotus spp. (Fabaceae); Stachys palustris (Lamiaceae); Cirsium palustre and Centaurea spp. (Asteraceae) .
Benton (2006) reports that Trifolium pratense (Fabaceae) is a dominant plant in the machair grassland communities of the Western Isles and is the principal forage plant of queens, workers and males of B. distinguendus until late summer when Centaurea nigra (Asteraceae) becomes the major forage plant. These two plant species alone account for 71% and 15% of pollen collected respectively from a total of 73 loads studied.
Benton lists the following forage sources (*denotes recorded pollen source). Lotus corniculatus, *Trifolium pratense, *Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Anthyllis vulneraria (Fabaceae); Rhinanthus (Scrophulariaceae); Allium sp. (Liliaceae), *Centaurea nigra, *Hypochoeris sp., *Sonchus arvensis, *Cirsium palustre, (Asteraceae); *Heracleum sphondylium, *Daucus carota (Apiaceae); *Succisa pratensis (Dipsacaceae); *Campanula rotundifolia (Campanulaceae).