Honey Bee on Magic (leaf) Carpet ?

[shudderdun]

Couldnt work it out at first, I had to look twice to confirm it, but I saw a bee mounted on what looked like a small leaf, at first glance I thought it was a huge amount of green pollen, the bee was settled on the side of a flower pot in my garden, then took off still mounted on the leaf and flew away it just looked as if it was on a magic carpet.

Has this been seen before ???

 

[Deeperdiverdude]

Leaf cutter bee?

DDD

 

[gatley]

Sounds like this thread should go together with the Dowsing thread?

 

[shudderdun]

Thanks for your reply, dont know what it will do with the leaf I will now Google "Leaf Cutter Bee"

 

[Magwat]

I had a leaf cutter bee make a cocoon from about 20 - 30 elliptical shaped bits of leaf (about 20mm long, 10mm wide) under the side of the deep roof of one of my hives this year. Initially I kept noticing green bits of confetti falling round my feet each time I took off the roof, I then saw a bee flying up under the roof carrying a piece of leaf. I first thought that it was one of my own bees but have since found that leafcutters look quite similar to a honey bee. The cocoon was about the length/diameter of a cigarrette & beautifully crafted with overlapping pieces of leaf. It did not get pulled apart when I took off the roof so I just let it be - last week it was empty & pulled apart so I guess the bees have flown.

 

[terryme]

If this uploads I'll be amazed! But it might be a leaf cutter bee on her magic carpet! WOW, I'm amazed

 

[shudderdun]

Yes it was just like that, even in flight !

 

[Swarm]

Check the plants in your garden for tell tale signs, semi circular pieces removed from sides of leaves. They seem particularly fond of roses.

 

[shudderdun]

Will do ------- Thanks

 

[Gardenbees]

After finding some perfect segments trimmed out of my rosebush leaves, I put up some bundles of hollow sticks (old sunflower stalks) wedged next to my garden fence, in the hope of encouraging more leafcutters. They look very like honeybees, only a little chunkier, and are good pollinators as well as being great to watch.

I was rewarded this summer by the sight of industrious bees carefully pushing rolled up bits of neatly-chomped rose leaf into the ends of the twigs, and returning with goodies for the larvae. They can carry quite big bits of leaf, and are very conspicuous (they're also rather slow fliers so easy to spot). They don't sting much, but I was surprised at the defensiveness of mine: they investigated me, and the one in the sunflower sticks buzzed and pinged at me when I got too close.

It's a bit late in the year now, but if you get a chance to watch them actually cutting the leaf, it's really fascinating. Surgical precision!

 

[Swarm]

Hello Gardenbees,
My neighbours arranged driftwood logs at the edge of a decked area last year and they were immediately pounced on and burrowed by leafcutters. Great fun to watch.