Quote:
Originally Posted by margorie  Hi, I read the article in the Independent yesterday and immediately thought of a visit I had a few weeks ago for what I am now fairly sure what a violet carpenter bee. I'd never seen anything like it and was really baffled. As soon as I saw the article, I though "that's the fella!". I am in south east London. |
I think this intriguing message takes us right back to the start of this thread, some 7 weeks ago!
X. violacea is sufficiently unusual in occurrence, and sufficiently similar in flight to large queen bumblebees (also around in big numbers in early March), that good provenance would be required before accepting records as genuine. This would be very similar to the "Rare Birds Committee" for the vetting and accepting records of vagrants etc.
Incidentally, the photo in the Independent was not of one of Derick's bees, but from a photo library. Lizzy told me that Derick's bee just sat in a hole and glared at the photographer.
Cheers, Stuart