Cat's-ear Mining Bee & Cat's-ear Nomad Bee at Harpford Common.

On a visit to Harpford Common in early May last year I was surprised to see a large colony of bees in a lay-by on the side of the road where I usually park. I parked on the opposite side of the road and went over to investigate. To my delight I noticed that they were the scarce Cat's-ear mining bee - Andrena humilis along with their kleptoparasite, Cat's-ear Nomad Bee - Nomada integra. 

MALES

FEMALES

 

Cat's-ear Mining Bee - Andrena humilis

 Nomad bee watching the female at her nest entrance.

Cat's-ear Nomad Bee - Nomada integra

Insects on Hemlock Water Dropwort at Seaton Marshes

Last June I visited Seaton Marshes to check out the large stands of Hemlock Water-dropwort. What I was particularly on the lookout for was Water-dropwort Mining Bee - Andrena ampla which is confined to the SW England and South Wales. I didn't find it but did see a good variety of other bees and inverts. Here's a selection:

Large stand of Hemlock Water-dropwort, some of it taller than me!

 

female Hawthorn Mining Bee - Andrena chrysosceles
 

Female Ashy Mining Bee - Andrena cineraria

Female Grey-patched Mining Bee - Andrena nitida and Water-dropwort Brown - Depressaria daucella caterpillar

 

 Female Mini Miner Bee - Andrena Sp.

 Fork-jawed Nomad Bee - Nomada ruficornis

 Male Early Bumblebee - Bombus pratorum

Furry Dronefly - Eristalis intricaria

Common Tiger Hoverfly - Helophilus pendulus

Thick-legged Hoverfly - Syritta pipiens

Water-dropwort Brown Caterpillar - Depressaria daucella

 14-Spot Ladybird - Propylea quatuordecimpunctata. Usually yellow, this a more uncommon orange form.

Rose Chafer - Cetonia aurata

Metopius citratus. A seldom recorded ichneumon wasp which parisatises moth larvae.