today were intrepid Bumblebees. However we have a lean-to greenhouse with
lots of stuff in flower and an open door. Many different bees ,wasps and
hoverflies and a family of Great Tits have taken to popping in when it is
rough outside.
A little earlier in the year Mason Wasps were using the open ends of
bamboo canes for nesting.
Today I found this Ruby-tailed Wasp, Chrysis ignita -( you can see the
'horns' on the tail end) . It is a Kleptoparasite (like a cuckoo) and lays
eggs in the nests of Mason Wasps. This one kept buzzing about, sunning
itself and repeatedly returning to this cane and disappearing down the hole
at the end. Do they lay clutches of eggs? I'd just love to know what goes
on. I am loth to cut the cane open just to satisfy my curiosity. Has anyone
any ideas?
Peter Byles
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