mason bee – Jill Orme Photography

18 Apr 2026

Synchronicity

by JDO | posted in: Bees, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

I got a bit more work done in the garden this afternoon, trimming the little mixed wildlife hedge that R and I planted as a set of two dozen whips a few years ago, but I’m a bit under the … Continued

31 Mar 2026

Newbee

by JDO | posted in: Bees, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

Today’s good news in the garden was the appearance of the first first-brood Speckled Wood of the year, shortly followed by two male Mason Bees, which sat (unusually co-operatively) on the same patch of honeysuckle, and allowed me to compare … Continued

11 Apr 2025

Masonry

by JDO | posted in: Bees, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

I present here another instalment in my occasional series: Orange(ish) Bees on Pink Crab Apple Blossom. If you saw yesterday’s post you might remember the rather spiffy Common Carder queen I caught on the same tree in almost exactly this … Continued

13 Jul 2024

Orange-vented Mason Bee

by JDO | posted in: Bees, Dragonflies, Invertebrates, My garden, Odonata, Worcestershire | 0

I found it very satisfying to step out of my front door this morning, take two steps across the lawn, and find this pretty female Orange-vented Mason Bee (Osmia leaiana) nectaring on the thistle I’ve left there. I wish I … Continued

8 Jun 2024

Passive

by JDO | posted in: Bees, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

I don’t think he was exactly asleep, because the antennae usually droop in those circumstances, but this Orange-vented Mason Bee was definitely having a few minutes of down time in my front garden this morning. He remained apparently oblivious while … Continued

17 May 2024

Faded

by JDO | posted in: Bees, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

The season marches on. My beloved male plumpies are all gone now, though the females are still zooming about, working on their nests. There are fewer and fewer mining bees around, and I haven’t seen a bee-fly, of any description, … Continued

11 May 2023

Synchronicity

by JDO | posted in: Bees, Invertebrates, Wales | 0

It’s just two days since I posted photos of a red mason bee on Geranium phaeum – a plant I’d never seen before in my life – and a male blue mason bee, which is a species I see quite … Continued

9 May 2023

Domestic goddess

by JDO | posted in: Bees, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

When R described me as a domestic goddess this afternoon, I raised an eyebrow at him and waited for the punchline, but it turned out that he was being sincere. Compliments tend to make me laugh uncomfortably and reel off … Continued

2 Apr 2023

Picnic

by JDO | posted in: Arachnids, Bees, Flies, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

“Is it,” I asked myself, “maybe a little too early in the season to be posting predation porn?” I considered the question for all of about two seconds, before deciding that it’s never too early. Plus, it seemed only fit … Continued

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