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Erichalfbee

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Just a quick post to introduce this new section
There is lots of interest in our native non honey bee population so we thought it might be a good idea to have a place for it.
 
Just a quick post to introduce this new section
There is lots of interest in our native non honey bee population so we thought it might be a good idea to have a place for it.
Excellent idea!

Since becoming a beekeeper I have been much more aware of our other native bees. Would love to learn more about them. Rescued an Ashy mining bee from the greenhouse yesterday.
 
Last year I bought and Stan made some bee hotels. We watched leaf cutters bringing in lots of foliage and some bees used the tunnels capping them off with mud.
This spring we have lots of these darting about in front of the holes.

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This is a male Osmia bicornis - red mason bee. The males have this very pale haired face and are a bit smaller that the females, who are darker and have black haired faces with two projections (or horns) which they use to ball up mud to create their nests. Very common bees at bee hotels.
 
Swap the colours around so a black abdomen and russet red thorax and a smaller bee, seen on Rowan today. Any ideas?
Sorry no pic.
We see Red Mason and Leaf Cutters every year and lots of tiny ones that are obviously bees.
 
Swap the colours around so a black abdomen and russet red thorax and a smaller bee, seen on Rowan today. Any ideas?
Sorry no pic.
We see Red Mason and Leaf Cutters every year and lots of tiny ones that are obviously bees.

One of the Andrena sp - mining bees I imagine. Difficult to say which as a fair few Andrena have a ginger haired thorax.
 
Took the inspection hatch off one of the bee hotels. What a pretty sight.
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Apparently the last egg laid, closest to the entrance, hatches first so hatchlings behind don't get trapped? Is that true? Brilliant if so.

I drilled lots of holes in a log and mounted it in a trellis a couple of weeks ago, and nearly all holes now have occupants. Lots of very small cute bees.

I also have some hover flies (?) that are very territorial and see off anything that flies into their patch, which appear to tunnel into my lawn. They are suddenly absent following the recent rain.

Great idea for a subject Dani.
 
Apparently the last egg laid, closest to the entrance, hatches first so hatchlings behind don't get trapped? Is that true? Brilliant if so.

.

Yes. And some if these bees make a dummy empty cell at the entrance so that pesky birds find nothing to steal.
 
Blatant advertising plug....sorry

Just a little blatant advertising plug for local company that produces bee bricks along other wildlife bricks and boxes. I have also advised on the design of several products for the lovely people.
Not the cheapest but fabulous products that work
https://www.greenandblue.co.uk/
S
 
Just a little blatant advertising plug for local company that produces bee bricks along other wildlife bricks and boxes. I have also advised on the design of several products for the lovely people.
Not the cheapest but fabulous products that work
https://www.greenandblue.co.uk/
S

These are so pretty but blimey aren’t they expensive!
Stan's made a few more for me just with various drill bit sizes. Getting attention already.
 
These are so pretty but blimey aren’t they expensive!
Stan's made a few more for me just with various drill bit sizes. Getting attention already.
Apart from Linkedin, Im not on (un) social media but the page looks great and lovely to see the bees taking to the bamboo nests.
Yes, G&B are very expensive but smashing products, which sell well to the greenies.
I think Gavin the owner of Green and Blue has taken more than his design skills from his time working for Dyson :)
S
 
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A few years ago I made a large one out of a section of a leylandi trunk. It was well used but I had to make sure the entrances were absolutely smooth to be successful. If there was any "hairiness" at the entrance, the hole was rejected.
I now have two small ones almost full - about 20 cells in each, but more are needed.
 
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A few photos around the bee house and plants nearby.
 

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Lovely pictures. What’s the penultimate bee?
Edit
It’s a wasp
A parasite of Osmia bees.
 
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Hi Steve - is this a bought bee house or did you make it?
I tried bamboo canes but wasn't too successful with them and drilled wooden blocks seem a bit iffy. I'm looking for ideas!
Great photos, thanks
 
I saw a bit on TV about these parasitic wasps so I guessed it was one of those as it was lurking around and was loathed to leave.
I didn't post the finished holes, two stuffed with leaves and two with dirt, the mason was in the process of sealing up.
I'm hoping Kaz will be along to name them. Bees 2 and 3 look the same but 2 is much smaller.
Hiya Poot, it was a little gift my wife brought home, I think she paid £6 for it.
If you have an old post, just drill some holes in it, 5mm and 6mm. Use seasoned wood for better results.
For bamboo use Tonkin cane or similar, it has thick walls and make sure you saw between the nodes so there is a complete tunnel. The rear can be cut just behind the node and this will leave it naturally sealed.
They even use old screw holes here.
 

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