Whose eggs are these?

[Fritillary]

I uncovered (and spoiled in doing so) these eggs, sandwiched between my top bar roof and its cover. They were much bigger eggs and cells than honey bee; earthen walls as you can see. - I should have tasted the yellow powder they were surrounded with. Perhaps dandelion pollen?

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[MartinL]

I uncovered (and spoiled in doing so) these eggs, sandwiched between my top bar roof and its cover. They were much bigger eggs and cells than honey bee; earthen walls as you can see.

Have seen these before, always thought they were some solitary bee but never really thought identification would be possible.

- I should have tasted the yellow powder they were surrounded with. Perhaps dandelion pollen?

Not sure taste would be that accurate. Colour is usually a fair/informed guess though?

 

[thedozzer]

I uncovered (and spoiled in doing so) these eggs, sandwiched between my top bar roof and its cover. They were much bigger eggs and cells than honey bee; earthen walls as you can see. - I should have tasted the yellow powder they were surrounded with. Perhaps dandelion pollen?

Does anyone have any ideas?

Would say probably one of the many types of solitary bee, nearest i can find is the Hairy footed flower bee "anthophora plumipes" https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-hairy-footed-flower-bee-anthophora-plumipes-nesting-chamber-with-larvae-87950333.html

Or mason bees, as they create very similar nests.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I found the same eggs in the top of one of my hives today. Thanks for the identification.

 

[Antipodes]

I love the pollen bed. Great little construction with the mud walls too!

 

[Fritillary]

Thanks thedozzer - that certainly looks the same, doesn't it? I didn't think these could be a sort of mason bee as they were so much bigger than any I'd seen before.

- A shame these ones were spoiled... hope lots more laid nearby.

 

[thedozzer]

Thanks thedozzer - that certainly looks the same, doesn't it? I didn't think these could be a sort of mason bee as they were so much bigger than any I'd seen before.

- A shame these ones were spoiled... hope lots more laid nearby.

We get them in our garden, they love lungwort, and they fly really fast for a bee, you can see them zipping about at ankle height, https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/hairy-footed-flower-bee-anthophora-plumipes/

And they have a ridiculously long proboscis, its about 2/3rd their entire body length. my better half calls them long nose bees


I love bumble bees and all the solitary bees, we have leaf cutters again this year, its amazing to see their belly's covered in pollen as they have no pollen baskets on their legs.

Rob

 

[fatshark]

I suspect they're red mason bee as suggested above. I've seen very similar in the same sort of location (when I lived in the Midlands) which were definitely red mason bee.

 

[Goran]

I uncovered (and spoiled in doing so) these eggs, sandwiched between my top bar roof and its cover. They were much bigger eggs and cells than honey bee; earthen walls as you can see. - I should have tasted the yellow powder they were surrounded with. Perhaps dandelion pollen?

Does anyone have any ideas?

Osmia rufa nest or " close relative" I presume.

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/album.php?albumid=523&pictureid=3307