Nomada sp bee with fungal infection?

[loripo]

Just as I was getting excited to see something on the Fatsia Japonica I asked about I found that this bee has something wrong with it. I did get short video too which shows that it had to drag itself along and was trying to clean all the excess 'fuzz' off.

What do you think?

[JRsbugs]

It's a Vespula vulgaris worker, more likely to be pollen on it but it does look fungal!

Janet

[Jason Claxton]

Yes they are still busy in my garden today Janet

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

Yes they are still busy in my garden today Janet

Still busy here too Jason. I think I have had a late hatching due to the continued alien weather, lol! I have seen both workers and males of V. vulgaris and V. germanica, although not so many lately I still have at least a couple of workers and a couple of males and one alien wasp.

[loripo]

Lots more there again today, but very lively. They are fairly hairy, but the other was more so and as you can see it was dragging its rear legs.Dying perhaps?
( Just when I think I know what it is, it isn't!)

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by loripo

Lots more there again today, but very lively. They are fairly hairy, but the other was more so and as you can see it was dragging its rear legs.Dying perhaps?
( Just when I think I know what it is, it isn't!)

The males are very hairy, and often seem slower than the females, I found a couple of dead wasps about 2 weeks ago (male and female) but they keep producing while the weather permits so I think these are likely to be younger ones. The cold will make them sluggish, but I have found the workers (females) very lively lately, they probably get to go into the nest where the males have to find B&B elsewhere.

[loripo]

Thanks. Was warm in the sun today, but we had lashings of rain yesterday. Will see if they are still around in a few days.