David Element
Wildlife
Photography and Digital Video Images
_____________________________________________________
Hymenoptera 6 – Gold-fringed Mason Bees
GOLD-FRINGED MASON BEES Osmia aurulenta (m, f)
GOLD-FRINGED MASON BEES Osmia aurulenta (m)
GOLD-FRINGED MASON BEES Osmia aurulenta (m)
GOLD-FRINGED MASON BEES Osmia aurulenta (m)
GOLD-FRINGED MASON BEES Osmia aurulenta (m)
- The uncommon and very attractive Gold-fringed Mason Bee Osmia
aurulenta nests in vacant
snail shells. This bee is sexually dimorphic and very nicely marked when
fresh. The shells are covered with small twigs or leaves to camouflage
them from predators. These photographs were taken on the Kent coast, one
of the strongholds of this species, and on the North Downs.
- The biology of these bees and
many other species has been described in detail in the late David
Baldock's 'Bees
of Surrey', a book which will be of value to
hymenopterists throughout the UK and possibly in northern Europe. This
book was published in the autumn of 2008 and there are distribution maps
for Surrey (VC17) and numerous colour photographs.
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