Tiny Bees

[HJBee]

Hi all

These wee fellas have made a home in a house wall via a small opening on the windowsill. They are 10mm long by 4mm wide and the smallest bee I've seen, various books are not clear on the species as don't reference size ( I know there are many). Could they be the common carder bee Bombus pascuorum? But they usually like makings nests below ground, so not sure?

[EK.Bee]

Red Mason bees? Do they have horns on their face?

[gavin]

They look rather like them, and sound ike them too.

http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/sh...Red-mason-bees

[HJBee]

How do I persuade my colleague to put up with them as they cause no harm as there is information on the interweb that they are not protected and best course of action not to damage brick work is chemical treatment!

[fatshark]

Provide some alternative nesting sites ... I use bamboo canes cut into 5" lengths jammed into a 6" long piece of plastic drainpipe. I've zip tied these high up on sunny walls - to trellis supports, real drainpipes etc - so they're well above head height. I can then block off the more obvious holes in brickwork to stop the house from being demolished (er, not) and have a flourishing population of red mason bees.

Make sure the canes you use are wide diameter.

[gavin]

Seconded. Also .... they kindly block off any little holes in your wall for you (over the autumn and winter months when moisture and frost might otherwise get in) with mud-cement, and only open them up for 6 weeks or so in April and May. There is only a problem if your mortar is literally falling apart and should have been replaced two decades ago. In that case you'd be as well to get that job done.

And they never sting, and they're great at pollinating pears, apples and other fruit. And they're lovely wee things! Watch the patrolling males with their striking pale beards go round a pre-defined route in the sun, just on the off-chance.

[HJBee]

Thanks Guys!