Not all of the mason bees are out of the units yet. I have never known such a strange year with them. They have been all over the place just like the weather. The old girl still refuses to open her blooms, still waiting for the females to leave the units. Will her timing be right,I don't know, but she has never let them down. All my other fruit trees are in blossom, but she always seems to play the waiting game.
Anyway yesterday was sunny and two little mason bees fell in love and did what came naturally.
Finally the fruit you see in the picture is the old trees, last years fruit, organic, healthy produce from a friend. Hopefully in the next week or so you will see her in all her glory.
17 comments:
What are those little tubes for the bees? I've heard that some of out native bees will live in old logs, etc.
Yes that right they do live in old logs. The tubes are for the female to lay her grubs in. She will put between five and ten in a tube. Each grub will have its own space with stored pollen and sealed with mud. I will overwinter the whole unit in a cool shed and then put them out next March. By April the new bees emerge and the whole sequence starts again. My bees are all wild.
I have fruit trees here and the mason bees pollenate them every spring. Lovely bee because they are passive and there is no known record of them stinging.
Tks for dropping by.
Looking forward to seeing the bee in all her glory
Cheryl, what beautiful pictures! I hope more of those bees come out soon, your apple tree is about to pop! I signed up for the bee watch and am awaiting my sunflower seeds. I am going to include the granddaughters in the project and try to come up with a couple of my own to do with them.
Well done Beckie it is good to involve the grandchildren, they are our hopes for the future.
Hi Cheryl. Thank you for stopping by and also for your nice coments. I can't wait to see your dear old lady in all her glory!!
Richard and I have just been looking at your photos and we are just blown away. The colours on the one with the ladybird against the yellow bloom is just awesome. Do you ever enter competitions Cheryl because you should.
Re our lot, we have some 30 odd eggs at the moment and 3 have hatched so we have some chicks (2Peruvian Harris' Hawks and 1 Silver Gyr Saker Falcon). Sadly we have lost 3 eggs which is always upsetting, but we accept that this will happen - as it does in nature.
I will put a picture on my blog (in my pictures section) of some chicks from a few years back which I came across recently and I will also post one of an adult in flight which I think is a wonderful photo. The chicks do look funny and nothing like the magnificent birds they turn into. The little girl we used to live next door to came into our garden (uninvited when we were both out -tut tut) and opened the door to their aviary. Their dad flew off immediately but their mum stayed with them, even though she could have flown away. We came home from work and found them at our back door waiting for us. They had waddled up the garden to the house, bless them. Hope you like them xxx
Thank you Dawny...no I have never entered competitions. I seriously don't think the photos are that professional....I am my own worse critic, so I am told. But I am more pleased that people like you and Richard like them, that is reward enough for me. I am going to pop over and look at your photos now.
Glad you liked the pics Cheryl. They are beautiful birds and they look so stunning in flight, although they are quite ungainly on the ground, it has to be said. The sight of a Peregrine in full stoop never fails to take my breath away and I was watching a display once when a falcon flew past my face so close that I felt the air movement!! Awesome xx
It must have been amazing Dawny, such powerful birds so close to you, heart stopping.
Interesting that your weather is all over the place. So is ours in Ontario, Canada.
Something is happening to the honey bees in North America...maybe a virus. Do you have the same problem.
she is older and wiser than the other fruit trees, perhaps, cheryl?
looking forward to seeing her in full flight
glad to hear that romance is alive and well in the bee community!!
Those bees aren't waiting for any ole apple tree they are ready for love.
Good pictures Cheryl. The magpie looks like it is using a parachute.
OH my goodness. how wonderful.
I love love love your blog!!
Your kindred spirit
deena
for the Singing Woods..
Unfortunately Dirty Knees it is world wide. There is a campaign to help save them. They pollenate a third of the food we eat. I love bees, but even if you don't we all need them.
Tks for dropping by.
Hi Hedgewitch, like us all perhaps she is older and wiser.
Love is definately in the air in the bee community!!!
Hi Deena.....I think we are kindred spirits. I know I don't know you, but think of you often,
Lisa you are right, he doeslook lik he is using a parachute.
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