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Emporer moth
By Peter Byles
Thursday, 17 April 2014
From my garden
After giving my Pampas grass a very severe haircut a few days ago I have found a number of mounds in the soft soil area now exposed. I have seen nothing flying or walking in or out – does anyone know the answer please?
Looks like the work of one of the spring mining bees Andrena. We have A. haemorrhea in our garden at this time of year and the Tawny Mining bee (A. fulva - the male and female look quite different) make little mounds just like in your photo. Rosemary
If you see the mining bee and it is a lovely orangey-brown colour, darker on thorax than abdomen, then it will be Andrena fulva. I have three species of Mining Bee in my lawn. They often stay just inside then entrance to the hole and pop their head back down as anyone approaches. Look out for rather wasp-like bees called cuckoo bees of the genus Nomada. These are inquilines, they are not equipped for collecting pollen thus their larvae grow up in the mining bees nest feeding on food intended for their host's offspring. The cuckoo bee of A.fulva ids Nomada signata.
Looks like the work of one of the spring mining bees Andrena. We have A. haemorrhea in our garden at this time of year and the Tawny Mining bee (A. fulva - the male and female look quite different) make little mounds just like in your photo.
ReplyDeleteRosemary
If you see the mining bee and it is a lovely orangey-brown colour, darker on thorax than abdomen, then it will be Andrena fulva. I have three species of Mining Bee in my lawn. They often stay just inside then entrance to the hole and pop their head back down as anyone approaches.
ReplyDeleteLook out for rather wasp-like bees called cuckoo bees of the genus Nomada. These are inquilines, they are not equipped for collecting pollen thus their larvae grow up in the mining bees nest feeding on food intended for their host's offspring. The cuckoo bee of A.fulva ids Nomada signata.