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Produce => Wildlife forum => Topic started by: queenfishface on June 19, 2007, 21:59:51

Title: What's he doing?
Post by: queenfishface on June 19, 2007, 21:59:51
This little bee was struggling to fly carrying a piece of leaf. He had to keep landing to rest and his flying was all over the place. what's he up to and why? Anyone know?
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u242/queenfishface/Bee2.jpg)
Title: Re: What's he doing?
Post by: Marymary on June 19, 2007, 22:12:53
He wants to go surfing.  ;D
Title: Re: What's he doing?
Post by: jjt on June 19, 2007, 23:23:08
Making nest. It makes a tunnel, takes bits of leaf down it and lays an egg in each one.
           I watched one last year do this in a flowerpot and followed it to see where it was getting leaf from. It cuts pieces off with its mouth amazingly quickly.
Title: Re: What's he doing?
Post by: Eristic on June 20, 2007, 02:16:18
It's a leafcutter bee at work. It takes about 6 seconds for a bee to land on a leaf, cut a piece, roll it up and fly away to the nest. Yours looks like amateur that failed to roll it up properly.

More photos of leafcutter bees at work.
http://www.bluewisteria.co.uk/pest/leafcutterbee.html (http://www.bluewisteria.co.uk/pest/leafcutterbee.html)