This Bee flew into the house yesterday,..i never come across one like it here before,..very large wings and big eyes,..something was eating the leaves on one of my rose bushes,..could this be a Bee Cutter?. ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) Another visitor blending in. ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden )
Hi Philip, Killdale put a post up the other day about a leafcutter bee, (something about strange holes in the leaf..) you might want to look at that, but I don't think what you have is a leaf cutter, myself.Oh and by the way it was in the members gallery.
Thanks for the reminder Carolyn,..i intended to check on what the Bee looked like as i couldn't remember,..well its not like my Bee at all,..BUT i did see a Bee just like that two days ago,..i tried to take a shot of it,..but it wouldn't remain still long enough,..this was another first viewing for me. From the amount of leaf cut you would think there was a sale?.
Philip here is a picture of a Leaf Cutter Bee that I found on the internet. Note that the antenna and legs are completely different from your photograph. My suggestion would be that what you have is a bee mimic. The antenna and legs are more like that of a type of hover fly. Also the wings are being held in a position that also points towards a fly rather than a bee. However the damage to your plants could still be done by a leafcutter bee. Here is a picture of the damage the bee does to plant.
Hi Eileen, now that you pointed it out,..there is a definite "fly like" appearance with my strange Bee,..i didn't notice the antenna until you mentioned it as well,..yes a mimic indeed,..as for the damage done to my rose bush,..well that's identical to what you have shown,..though i must add a worse attack,..i must take a picture tomorrow,..the leaves were blitzed!.
You know, Philip--I suspect that it may be a hover fly. I say that because it has no visible antennae, as do bees and wasps. I have similar ones in my garden. There is a type called, Eristalis intricarius, and this insect has several different colour presentations. Perhaps your house guest in one of these or a related species. Well, whatever it is, it is an interesting-looking creature.
You are extremely observant, Eileen!!! and I agree it is a fly and not a bee. i was only looking at the coloring and fuzziness not the bee/fly characteristics.
Philip we have at least one leafcutter bee in our garden too. It/they seem to take a delight in cutting sections out of my new rose bushes. They cut such neat pieces out of leaves to make their nests with don't they? They don't seem to do any real 'harm' to the plants they utilise but they do leave them looking as though someone has filigreed them don't they? We also have masonry bees that seem to take a delight in chewing their way through the lime render between the stones in our cottage. I'm always loathe to evict them but the damage they can do to a building can be quite extensive as their tunnels can go a fair distance into the walls. Sometimes nature can be a tad frustrating!!
Hi Eileen, i took some picture of the damage done to one of the rose bushes,..a small rose bush,..which hasn't flowered as yet,..but there is a bud appearing so touch wood. Whether this damage was as a result of a Cutter Bee or something else i am not sure,..but the leaves nearest the ground were not touched suggesting attack came from above. ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) ---------------------------------------------------- Hi Sjoerd, i checked out the name you gave,..Eristalis intricarius,..wow!,.. i learned something from that,..at a glance i would have said Bee,..and probably did so in the past,..very interesting. ---------------------------------------------------- Hi Carolyn, i checked out Killdale's post,..of the Beecutter very interesting!,..still not my Mimic,..Eristalis intricarius,..at least i have his example and Eileen's of a Bee Cutter,..so i will be on the look out.
If you spot one of these bees actually cutting a leaf you'll be as fascinated with it as I was I'm sure. They keep coming back to the same plant to cut more for there nest so there's a good chance you'll spy one. They're cutting pieces off the leaves of my new rose bushes but I don't mind as the plants themselves remain healthy.
What intrigued me Eileen was the attack was on just one bush,..but as you said,..they return to the same bush,..amazing Bee,..i will be watching tomorrow,..though with all the leaf its gathered it must have a big home, .
I wonder if there is a need to use the same leaf, from the same plant, for the nest. HMMM. interesting thought. maybe this would make a difference as to the health or success of the nest or larvae maturing. Maybe this is why they keep coming back to the same plant. If anyone knows please inform us.
