The Bees Are Back In Town Again

FRIDAY

A walk to the post box with my postal vote.

Washed and polished the car yet again.

Another walk late afternoon.

We have to be careful when walking up the steps at the back of the house as the Chocolate Mining Bees are active again. They are not very common  bees and we are blessed with their presence.


"Chocolate Mining Bees (Andrena scotica) are solitary bees that are quite happy to live alongside humans and they are typically seen going into holes in the ground or low down in walls with crumbly mortar and cavities.  They are seen in relatively large numbers, which may seem surprising for a solitary bee, but they nest in aggregations, often sharing single entrances and making their own small chambers off the main tunnel.They appear in mid-April and are mostly gone by late May.  In that time, they mate, clear and provision their nests with pollen and lay eggs for the next generation.Although female Andrena mining bees do have a sting, they are not aggressive and their stings are weak, so people in their vicinity are not at risk.  Their season is relatively short and we always recommend that you try to enjoy their presence and wait a few weeks for the adults to complete their life cycle."