Natural Wonders

I’m glad to see that so many people are now as a matter of habit using the recycling bins provided by our local council. I’m all for recycling and re-using as much as possible which is why, when I went to use my bin one day last week, I was thrilled to find that I am not the only one making enthusiastic use of it:

I spotted a bee busily working away at the hollow entrance of the handle. I stopped to watch it for a considerable time, and was amazed to see it arrive with pieces of leaf which it proceeded to skilfully cut to size with its jaws and manoeuvre into the hole.

I went inside for a book to confirm my suspicion that it was laying its eggs in the tubular handle. Indeed, it turned out to be a ‘Patchwork Leaf-cutter Bee’, which, my book told me, makes little capsules from pieces of leaf, lays an egg inside, leaves it some food in the form of nectar and pollen, then seals each one with another circle of leaf. She builds a row of these inside her tunnel of choice and when she has laid all her eggs apparently she will die.

The circle of life complete.

Many people assume that all bees live in colonies and make hives. Honey Bees and Bumble Bees do but most are solitary, like the Leaf-cutter, and make their nests in a variety of burrows, holes or tunnels. There has been increasing concern in recent years about the demise of our bees which are crucial, it is thought, to our very existence, so I’m definitely off to make a bee nesting box. And I’ll be keeping a close eye on my bin in the hope of seeing the emerging offspring. Nothing may happen until next spring, but some things are definitely worth waiting for!