Cherry pollinators fest!

It was a warm, sunny afternoon and the cherry was at full bloom (three weeks earlier than last year), attracting a menagerie of bees, butterflies, queen wasps and flies. I did saw a honeybee, but I think even without this species, the cherry would be fully pollinated given the number and diversity of insects on it.

 Several bees were firsts for the year, including Bombus lapidarius, B. pascuorum and Melecta albifrons. I saw the first male red mining bee yesterday but they seemed to be everywhere today.

Bombus lapidarius queen 

Anthophora plumipes female

Queen wasp grooming

Possibly a dronefly

Male Osmia bicornis

and a Peacock also settled repeatedly on the blossom to feed

A small shining metallic wasp fell on the small pond and was rescued.

The first water beetle in the Victorian bath that makes our mini pond, awaiting ID.

Melecta albifrons, a cuckoo bee that parasitises A. plumipes, feeding on Muscari

 Melecta albifrons,  resting on a daffodil

And finally, a shot of a Red Mason Bee patrolling the Muscari.

Inside curly cherry leaves with their food

Yesterday we gave our cherry tree a light trim, removing shoot tips damaged by the black cherry aphid. The leaves curl up, sheltering hundreds of aphids (above). Inside the leaves, with their prey, there were hundreds of Harlequin larvae larvae, a few 2 spot larvae and with few adults of both species, a 10 spot ladybird and a few predatory hemipteran bugs.

A mirid bug Deraeocoris ruber (I think!)

10 spot ladybird, near a black cherry aphid

Fully grown Harlequin larvae

2 spot ladybird larvae

Two spot ladybird

An unusual 2 spot ladybird with 3 spots!

Making cherries

We've got a small cherry tree in our garden. In addition to making a spectacular show when it blooms, it produces the sweetest cherries and, although the crop can be a bit hit and miss depending on the spring weather, it is a bug magnet for a few months. The tree only started flowering a week ago but today was buzzing with bees. I spent some time this morning watching the blossom and trying to ID the bees that are feeding on it or visiting. Anthophora plumipes and Osmia rufa males have incorporated the tree into their patrolling routine, circling around the blooms, chasing other bees and keeping track of the females. Beautiful, velvety shiny red female Andrena fulva were also feeding on it as were female A. plumipes. I stopped counting the honeybees as there were quite a few. To the high pitched buzz of the Anthophora bees, the deep buzz of queen Bombus lapidarius and Bombus terrestris was added. These busy lot of creatures were involved, without realising it, in fertilising the blossom and contribute to making the cherries that hopefully we'll eat this summer.

Peacock butterfly

Bombus lapidarius

A full Andrena fulva sunbathing near the tree.

Outside the blooming season, which lasts a few weeks from April to May, the tree growing buds are covered on black aphids that in june produce a sweet sap, loved by bumblebees, especially Bombus terrestris and Bombus hypnorum. I have also seen Bombus pratorum feeding on the nectaries at the end of the leave stalks. Aphids also attract scores of ladybirds. The cherries themselves are prized by wasps - and birds.