Hair Collector - _TNY_8885
This is a European wool-carder bee (Anthiduim manicatum). The females (like this one) collect hairs off plants with hair like this pink house leek (Sempervium tectorum) and use them to line their nests with.
The males, which unusually for bees are larger than the females have figured this out and make out a territory containing suitable plants and when females come to gather he mates with them in exchange so to speak. Everything else, other males, other bees, bumblebees, hoverflies and so on are forcibly chased away
This is from my mother-in-law's garden where they come back to the house leeks every summer.
Hair Collector - _TNY_8885
This is a European wool-carder bee (Anthiduim manicatum). The females (like this one) collect hairs off plants with hair like this pink house leek (Sempervium tectorum) and use them to line their nests with.
The males, which unusually for bees are larger than the females have figured this out and make out a territory containing suitable plants and when females come to gather he mates with them in exchange so to speak. Everything else, other males, other bees, bumblebees, hoverflies and so on are forcibly chased away
This is from my mother-in-law's garden where they come back to the house leeks every summer.