Black bees (not solitary) burrowing in lawn??

[MadJen]

Hello

I've just bought a cottage in a rural location which has not been lived in for a number of years. Mowed the lawn twice this weekend but today (hubby was hammer drilling the concrete kitchen floor out) a small swarm of black with a tiny bits of white?? bees started buzzing around on the lawn near to the kitchen door. They seemed pretty cross about the drilling but eventually went back into (I think the lawn) although I wasn't too close to them as I had my Grandaughter with me.

I have taken a photo, they were definitely small black bees, not flies and had a tiny bit of white.

What should I do??

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[the beehive lodge]

post the the photo so we can see what you can see hello by the way

 

[drstitson]

this WILL be some form of solitary bee - just because they happen to live in large numbers in close proximity doesn't mean they aren't solitary just that they don't live in complex colonies like honey bees!

what to do - leave them alone. they have short life spans and won't do you any harm.

PS It was not a "swarm" just a significant number of bees. There is a crucial difference.

 

[MadJen]

Wont let me post my photos

 

[Erichalfbee]

Might be the hairy footed flower bee which is about the earliest miner bee we see. The females are all black and the males have white on their faces

There are pictures here
http://www.insectpix.net/Anthophors_plumipes_new.htm

 

[MadJen]

Thanks for all the quick replies! Hubby has been looking through pics of black bees and has found what we think is it - Andrena cineraria.

I can't post a picture as my post count is too low but it looks very much like the 30 or so little chaps buzzing around today

 

[RoofTops]

Good detective work by Hubby!.. If you Google "BWARS Andrena cineraria" you can find a fact sheet and some piccys.

 

[Midland Beek]

I've just bought a cottage in a rural location which has not been lived in for a number of years.

Is this another 'Townie moves to the countryside thread'?

 

[Tom Bick]

Is this another 'Townie moves to the countryside thread'?

I had the company that make Escape To The Country call me up the other day wanting to come and film a couple in my workshop.

It was a bit of bad timing as I had just handed the keys back to the landlord.

Good look madjen it sounds very nice.

 

[Erichalfbee]

lovely looking bee, never seen those.

Tom......are you moving?