As is the case at this time of year, as the ivy blooms with its strange corona-virus looking flowers, the ivy mining bees emerge to gather with the honeybees, hoverflies and wasps who also make use of this vital autumn supply of pollen.
With their vivid yellow-orange stripes, they are probably the second most beautiful bee species, after the female tawny mining bees that fly at the opposite end of the season in early spring. They are fast moving and to get good photos of them is a bit of a challenge but my Pixel 6A seems to be a lot better at focussing quickly that my Motorola G7 was.
Also lurking was about the fattest, palest orb spider I've ever seen.
Perhaps it has eaten a good few ivy mining bees!
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 20.09.22
Lovely photos! The ivy mining bees are beautiful and that certainly is a fat spider!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, Si. Beautiful bees ... I must check our ivy ...
ReplyDeleteLovely bees they are!
ReplyDelete