I'm still not as busy as the bees though. They have been very busy today. A lot of big queens have been busy, but most of them were not terribly obliging. However, a few bees have been co-operative.
First up, we have this specimen, keeping lovely and still at Cotham Flash marshlands. Could it be a female tawny mining bee perchance?
Then, on the favourite lungwort at Hawton, overlooked by the pussy cat weather vain, this common carder was hard at it.
Finally, an act of mercy. I came across an exhausted bumble on the road as I cycled along, near the Devon bridge. It wasn't dead, but it was done in, unable to move its wings or legs. Obviously I had no sugar water handy, so all I could do was gingerly pick it up and take it to a dandelion where it might be able to feed and revive.
Its saddlebags were so laden with pollen, no wonder it was shattered. I think it is a buff tailed queen
Lots of butterflies around too! I hope you are all enjoying the season.
Si
Good to see all the bees Simon. Had my first Common Carder Bee in the garden this morning. Not sure about id of the Tawny Mining Bee - Andrena males are difficult to id between species. I've seen females in the garden they make nests in the lawn that look like miniature volcanoes!
ReplyDeleteGosh I'll have to keep an eye out! I was watching a very restless be yesterday, very red looking in he body. It was inspecting dead wood, and only settled once, to investigate underneath a larger twig.
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