October Buzzed By ...

... and I didn't get a chance to post October's featured bee. The month of October in my North American Native Bee Calendar purchased from the Great Sunflower Project, features the Large Carpenter Bee, genus Xylocopa.

These bees are large, often over an inch, and I definitely have these in my garden. You can't miss them if they buzz by (like October). They are typically black. I've seen these bees mating and also buzzing around my shed (made from rough hewn lumber) which makes sense since they are wood nesting bees. The female will use her jaws to excavate a nest tunnel in soft or rotten wood. These bees are known to "rob" nectar, too, by excavating a hole at the base of a flower. Males may put on an "air show" of darting and swooping flight patterns near flowers where females are attracted. To view images of the Carpenter Bee, click here. (Control or apple click to open the images in a new tab or window).

You might attract a Carpenter Bee if you grow salvia, Cercis (Redbud), lavender or wisteria.

April's Featured Bee

The month of April in my North American Native Bee Calendar purchased from the Great Sunflower Project, features the Digger Bee, genus Anthophora. They may also be referred to as Longhorned Bees because males sport exceptionally long antennae. They emerge in early Spring to Summer depending on the species and mostly nest in the ground.

Most digger bees range from small to medium size. They are fuzzy - very furry, and some species display prominent black and white banding on the abdomen. They fly very fast and are able to hover before landing on a flower. Swarms of males can be seen cruising around nesting sites seeking emerging females. Digger bees typically have very long tongues.

You might find digger bees in your garden if you grow the following: salvia, lavender, nepeta/catnip, phacelia.

I hope to search for them in my front garden that I expanded just last fall.

This photo was taken of the front garden last week before the "big clean up." Here I have growing lavender and nepeta walker's low, as well as snow in summer, russian sage, lambs ears, iris and aster. Blooming are reticulated iris.

I noticed that I have quite a bit of action in my mason bee house right now. I cannot positively identify the bees flying in and out of here - they are fast and go in the holes before I can get a good look! Then they pop back out like little rockets. I believe they are collecting nectar and pollen. On the day I observed them it was sunny and warm - today, not so much.

 

Above is a close up. These holes are made from bamboo and go quite deep so I've yet to see a mud plug but I am keeping my fingers crossed. I will let you know of any progress. This house should last for several seasons and faces southwest.

In the meantime I'll be in the garden among the bees.