Evil Deed Done?
This shot shows a Leucophora satellite fly leaving an Andrena nigroaenea nesting burrow on the garden rockery. I presume it had laid an egg or eggs whilst it was down there. What surprises me is that the mining bee was inside the burrow at the time - I watched her go in, closely followed by the fly.
Large numbers of these flies have been hanging around the nest burrows. They watch out for anything flying towards the colony and follow it. I've seen them following Nomada and Osmia as well as their hosts. I have also seen some spectacular aerobatics by returning Andrena that are being followed by flies that sometimes manage to lose the kleptoparasite.
Evil Deed Done?
This shot shows a Leucophora satellite fly leaving an Andrena nigroaenea nesting burrow on the garden rockery. I presume it had laid an egg or eggs whilst it was down there. What surprises me is that the mining bee was inside the burrow at the time - I watched her go in, closely followed by the fly.
Large numbers of these flies have been hanging around the nest burrows. They watch out for anything flying towards the colony and follow it. I've seen them following Nomada and Osmia as well as their hosts. I have also seen some spectacular aerobatics by returning Andrena that are being followed by flies that sometimes manage to lose the kleptoparasite.