Andrena nest

JRsbugs · #1 (**permalink**) 27-04-2010, 01:00 AM

This nest appeared on the same path as the other one (Andrena clarkella), also closed at the top. There's two other nests nearby which are open but I haven't seen any activity.

This was on 25th April, the bee was forming the top of the nest as it had only appeared that day. She sat near the top for some time then came to the top edge and pulled in some soil, then came out, turned around and dived back in pulling the soil after her.

Is it possible to say which Andrena it is? I looked again today to try to get better pics but didn't see her although she had come out at some point as the nest had been flattened by rain and had been disturbed since.

Janet

JRsbugs · #2 (**permalink**) 28-04-2010, 12:40 AM

I got more pics today of this bee with pollen, she was just going down the hole. The pollen is the same colour as the other nearby bee which I think is Andrena clarkella (I got more pics of her too).

Andrena clarkella?

Could the pollen be from Salix?

This is the same bee as above, I was wondering if the two are the same species but this one seems to be lacking all that black hair, having brown fringes with bare tergites between.

JRsbugs · #3 (**permalink**) 29-04-2010, 08:59 PM

Here she is yesterday cooming out the nest. Today I found her dying, on her back near the nest with a wound to the bottom of the abdomen.

I had wondered how this happened and was blamng a bird but that didn't make sense as she was not taken. Now I'm thinking it was a Nomada bee maybe which nipped her as she left the nest. The nest hole was slightly uncovered, she had always covered it.

meinchewster · #4 (**permalink**) 30-04-2010, 03:04 AM

[quote=JRsbugs;620258]Here she is yesterday cooming out the nest. Today I found her dying, on her back near the nest with a wound to the bottom of the abdomen.

I had wondered how this happened and was blamng a bird but that didn't make sense as she was not taken. Now I'm thinking it was a Nomada bee maybe which nipped her as she left the nest. The nest hole was slightly uncovered, she had always covered it.

What a sad end to the adventure

JRsbugs · #5 (**permalink**) 30-04-2010, 12:15 PM

Yes it is very sad, I know they don't live for long but nature takes it's course and there's not a lot we can do about it. It does ensure the survival of another species however, but we tend to not like the bad guys.