David Element's Wildlife Web Page Bees 26 - European Wool Carder Bees

David Element

Wildlife Photography and Digital Video Images

________________________________________________________ Hymenoptera 26 – European Wool Carder Bees

EUROPEAN WOOL CARDER BEE Anthidium florentinum (m)

EUROPEAN WOOL CARDER BEE Anthidium florentinum (f)

EUROPEAN WOOL CARDER BEES Anthidium florentinum (m, f)

A head-on view of an impressive male European Wool Carder Bee Anthidium florentinum latched on to vegetation with his powerful mandibles is illustrated in the first two photographs. The photographs were taken in southern France and Tuscany, Italy where these insects are common. This bee does not appear to have an English vernacular name but it is known as l’Anthidie florentine in France. Unusually the males belonging to this genus are significantly larger than their female counterparts. The males are strongly territorial and their large jaws are used to grab females whilst they are feeding, as shown in the final photograph. Once the bees have mated the males will then attempt to drive away any rivals.

-> Hymenoptera 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50