Blue Mason Bees

sarah_mnstr

sarah_mnstr

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Sarah
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The bee hotels in my garden are starting to get busy, currently resident are some Blue Mason Bees -

Male - absolutely love the eyes on these -
Blue Mason Bee - May 2016 by Sarah Mnstr, on Flickr

Male sunbathing on the roof -
Blue Mason Bee Male - May 2016 by Sarah Mnstr, on Flickr

Male -
Blue Mason Bee - Male - May 2016 by Sarah Mnstr, on Flickr
Blue Mason Bee Male -May 2016 by Sarah Mnstr, on Flickr

Female - I'm hoping that the face full of pollen and the fact she's spending a lot of time head first in the tubes means that she's nesting -
Female Blue Mason Bee - May 2016 by Sarah Mnstr, on Flickr

And now for something completely different!
While waiting for the bees to come out this weekend, I've noticed that this guy has been hanging around -
flickr-3673 by Sarah Mnstr, on Flickr

Much as I enjoy watching him, I'm not entirely happy that he's there. He's a male Sapyga quinquepunctata, a solitary wasp that is apparently a parasite of solitary bees :(
 
Oh WoW, what great photos Sarah, really liking No 2 and 3 the most.
I got to agree, love the eyes on small bees and wasps, they really stand out.
I`m also liking that wasp too :)
PS,
Could you crop the top and bottom also some of the left on the 1dt photo, I think this would make it more appealing.
Also, Maybe give the wasp some shadow lift, that might bring some better light to it and crop it to the left hole.
I just got to get one of these Bee hotels in my in-laws garden :D
 
I'm a bit of a fearty when it comes to bees, but I really like the colour of their eyes in the images, well captured!

I don't like the look of the last one! I don't think I've ever seen thay type of wasp before and according to Google we don't get them in Scotland.
 
Lovely work Sarah
 
You can get a better shot with focus stacking for these.
 
GT von said:
You can get a better shot with focus stacking for these.
Click to expand...
So your a master of stacking. Not everyone is so stop harping on about it please.
 
Graham said:
Oh WoW, what great photos Sarah, really liking No 2 and 3 the most.
I got to agree, love the eyes on small bees and wasps, they really stand out.
I`m also liking that wasp too :)
PS,
Could you crop the top and bottom also some of the left on the 1dt photo, I think this would make it more appealing.
Also, Maybe give the wasp some shadow lift, that might bring some better light to it and crop it to the left hole.
I just got to get one of these Bee hotels in my in-laws garden :D
Click to expand...

How do these look?
Can't decide whether there's too much to the right on this one now -
flickr-3618-2 by Sarah Mnstr, on Flickr

flickr-3973-2 by Sarah Mnstr, on Flickr

I'd recommend a bee hotel if you in-laws agree :D This is the third year I've had them, and I've counted 3 species using them and they are great fun to watch. They don't have to be expensive, the one in the pictures is this one - http://www.birdfood.co.uk/ctrl/product:627;/_27bee_27_mini_insect_house#.V08e_fkrLIU
I have also had a go at making my own this year as well out of various bits and pieces!

ChrisA said:
Lovely shots of a great looking bee. How did you tell the sexes apart - is it something obvious like colouring ?
Click to expand...
Thank you - with this one it's easy - the male has the green and black colouring to the eyes and is gold in colour, the female has black eyes and has a blue sheen to her abdomen.

I'm also convinced that I've read somewhere that the male solitary bees tend to be the ones with the hairy faces, but can I find where I read it now? I'm very new to ID so I tend also to post on a Bees, Ants and Wasps facebook group for help :)

GardenersHelper said:
Nice set Sarah.
Click to expand...

Thank you - I'm very pleased with these :)

Steven001 said:
I'm a bit of a fearty when it comes to bees, but I really like the colour of their eyes in the images, well captured!

I don't like the look of the last one! I don't think I've ever seen thay type of wasp before and according to Google we don't get them in Scotland.
Click to expand...

Haha no need to be afeared of these fellas! Solitary bees don't sting :D I have mixed feelings about the wasp. I love watching him, but don't like the idea of him parasitizing the bees!!

coopers said:
#1 is a stunner,well taken (y)
Click to expand...

Thank you Clive :)

Paul Iddon said:
Fantastic Sarah, I applaud you.

Paul.
Click to expand...

Thank you Paul :)

alfbranch said:
Lovely work Sarah
Click to expand...

Thanks Alf :)

GT von said:
You can get a better shot with focus stacking for these.
Click to expand...

Never tried focus stacking - it's on the list to try this year!
 
sarah_mnstr said:
How do these look?
Can't decide whether there's too much to the right on this one now -
flickr-3618-2 by Sarah Mnstr, on Flickr

flickr-3973-2 by Sarah Mnstr, on Flickr

I'd recommend a bee hotel if you in-laws agree :D This is the third year I've had them, and I've counted 3 species using them and they are great fun to watch. They don't have to be expensive, the one in the pictures is this one - http://www.birdfood.co.uk/ctrl/product:627;/_27bee_27_mini_insect_house#.V08e_fkrLIU
I have also had a go at making my own this year as well out of various bits and pieces!


Thank you - with this one it's easy - the male has the green and black colouring to the eyes and is gold in colour, the female has black eyes and has a blue sheen to her abdomen.

I'm also convinced that I've read somewhere that the male solitary bees tend to be the ones with the hairy faces, but can I find where I read it now? I'm very new to ID so I tend also to post on a Bees, Ants and Wasps facebook group for help :)



Thank you - I'm very pleased with these :)



Haha no need to be afeared of these fellas! Solitary bees don't sting :D I have mixed feelings about the wasp. I love watching him, but don't like the idea of him parasitizing the bees!!



Thank you Clive :)



Thank you Paul :)



Thanks Alf :)



Never tried focus stacking - it's on the list to try this year!
Click to expand...
Cheers Sarah,
1st one does look better imo but give it a go with various other crops.
Bee hotel would be easy, the in-laws live in the country so have a log burner so plenty of wood about and plenty of land :)
 
Graham said:
Cheers Sarah,
1st one does look better imo but give it a go with various other crops.
Bee hotel would be easy, the in-laws live in the country so have a log burner so plenty of wood about and plenty of land :)
Click to expand...

Will have a go at a few more crops :)

Definitely do a bee hotel (or several) then - I am very jealous as we only have a very tiny back garden!
 
Lovely set of pictures Sarah. Looking forward to seeing more as you take them.

I'm building a few bug and bee hotels of various sizes over the next few months and putting them in various locations in the gardens where I work.
 
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