It has been fascinating to watch the cycle of the mason bees. The larvae are creating cocoons. About half the cells have visible larvae. Female eggs are laid at the back of the channel (for protection and extra saftey) and the males are laid later, at the front. And then the channel is plugged with mud. I don't notice yet a pattern of early or late larval transformation towards front or back. There are various cocoons and grubs at various points scattered through the box. Quite a few cells are filled with the brown mossy stuff, which I presume is dead pollen, or similar.
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I think the mid stage of cocoon creation is seen below.
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Assortment of pollen maturity and its colours in the various cells.
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I can't see into all the cells through the window (the ones at the extreme top, bottom and sides), but I think there are approx 12 cells per channel. I will definitely remove the cocoons in the autumn to over-winter inside, to avoid predation or rot. It will be interesting to see the ratio of cocoons per eggs laid. Some cells look like they might have been predated. Quite a number of channels have not been plugged, as you see be in the below picture. One channel at the bottom has pollen spilling out, so I presume something had a go.
I keep having to clear out spiders' nests from the gap at the top of the box and from the hatching chamber at the bottom.
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I am concerned for the leaf cutter cocoons. The channel is not plugged and several cells look failed and collapsed. When I open the box in the winter, it will be interesting to investigate the cells in detail.
This is a two min vid with the micro bees in the Schwegler bee box, above the grade of holes where the mason bees are now settled and plugged up for the rest of the year.
I was thrilled just now to discover a leaf cutter bee nesting in one of my boxes. Whilst sat on my patio I noticed a bee flying up to to the nest box, and noticed a flash of green underneath it. It entered a tube and I waited for it to emerge, then stood patiently with my camera and awaited its return...
@LeadFarmer Wonderful pics. Did you manage to find some new tubes?
Thanks for your comments. I'm practicing at making little vids - with adding aspects like voice overs, fades and editing. The narration is not particularly accurate, but think of it all as 'work in progress.
@LeadFarmer Wonderful pics. Did you manage to find some new tubes?
Im going to order some from that website that was mentioned earlier, ready for next year. Typical that they choose to nest in the cheap Ibis hotel type nest box when there's a posh Savoy 'George Pilkington' box right next to it
Took some cutting from my African Blue basil plants today and found a leaf that looks like its had circles cut out from it. Not sure if this is the work of a bee or other insect?
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I was thrilled just now to discover a leaf cutter bee nesting in one of my boxes. Whilst sat on my patio I noticed a bee flying up to to the nest box, and noticed a flash of green underneath it. It entered a tube and I waited for it to emerge, then stood patiently with my camera and awaited its return...