Megachile ligniseca, Osmia leaiana and Hyleaus communis share the same side I could have selected another side or another nest box, but to be honest, this was the nearest to me and it was raining! We have a newly started Megachile ligniseca, the woodcarving bee, with...
Heriades truncorum The Large-headed Resin Bee An interesting new addition to the bees using a Nurturing Nature observation nest box was recently found and photographed by Dr Hauke Koch at Kew Gardens. This time it is Stelis breviuscula a cleptoparasite of Heriades...
Ectemnius solitary wasps Although there are several species of Ectemnius solitary wasps in the UK, I think probably the ones in the film are male Ectemnius continuus. which according to Jeremy Early, are very similar in appearance is E. rupicola. This species...
What is the vestibular cell in a Red mason bee nest? In the photograph below you will see all but one cell (red star) has what is called a vestibulum, (pl. vestibuli). This is the outermost cell within a nesting cavity and is usually an empty cell, with no provisions,...
The mud cells inside a Red mason bee nest are very hard. Many people know that Red mason bee females seal their cells with mud to protect their offspring from potential harm and to keep the internal cell environment conducive to the success of its contents. The mud...
Common yellow face female (Hyaleus communis) bee using Dufour’s gland secretions when sealing her nest entrance What is Dufour’s gland? Well according to Mitra, it’s a gland, although it and the poison gland are associated with the sting, its actual...
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