A
Melecta albifrons male has been feeding lazily on the
Erysimum in the afternoon a sunny day. Clambering over the flowers, not bothering to fly, this cleptoparasitic bee behaves in a very different way to its host: the buzzing, hovering, always alert
Anthophora plumipes. Red Mason bee (
Osmia rufa) males are patrolling the flowers and they check everything vaguely looking like a Red Mason bee female. With their contact, they scare away females
A. plumipes - which I guess feel harassed like they do when their own males jump on them. A male
Osmia rufa sees the Melecta and jumps on it. Just a quick contact, presumably chemical cues are checked and if not right, the bee flies away. The Melecta stays on. And when I check the camera, I am thrilled I got the shot!
Melecta albifrons male (photos 26/03/2012). They are handsome bees.
2 comments:
It's great to catch this interaction - well done.
Thank you Rob. I think I only did because Melecta is too slow and didn't react fast enough to the Red Mason Bee!
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