Bees, flies, wasp and swift.

Friday 2nd

There is still a lot of bee activity around the margeryfish plant close to the pond. This is just outside the conservatory window and easy to keep an eye on. The small black bee is still visiting. I think it might be a female hairy footed bee Anthophora plumipes. One reason for thinking this is that at least two male hairy footed bee visit this plant, although usually one only there at a time. The male hairy foot bees appear to be quite territorial chasing off any other bees visiting the flowers.

It particularly targetted the buff tailed bumble bee that also visit. Sometimes literaly rambing into the bee knocking it off the flower. Hairy foot bees are solitary bees.

The rather unusual looking hoverfly Rhingia campestris also visits the margiery Fish. It has a prominent snout and orange abdomen. The larvae live in animal dung, usualy cow pats.

In the early evening I saw the first swift. A small group of swifts usually nest nder the eaves in our next door neighbours house.

Saturday 3rd May

Blue tits are foraging in the apple tree in the garden behind ours, which is now in full blossom. A wasp flew into the conservatory and could not find its way out again. Iused a glass to trap the wasp an release it outside. I do not yet have a speies ID for this wasp. I will ad a caption if I manage to discover the species.