Busy, buzzing, bustling, bees ....

The insect house, as described and pictured in my earlier blog of the 9th July is in full action once more. Today has been a respite from the rain and with the sun and warmth the bees have been active in the bamboo insect house they appear to have made their home. They seem to operate in pairs one being slightly larger then the other. Today, the larger one was carrying small pieces (about a quarter of an inch) of chewed leaf and stuffing it into the end of one of the bamboo sticks that make up the top part of the insect house. The first delivery of leaf that I saw it trying to attach to the hole was in fact two carefully chewed shapes. The first of which tumbled to the ground. The bee continued successfully to attach the second piece. The first piece was left on the soil and not retrieved for use. A little while later, the larger bee squashed itself into the top smallest hollow bamboo cane and somehow managed to turn itself around and began to push out what appeared to be nibbled grains and sandy pieces from the cane. Both bees kept going backwards and forwards in and out of the bamboo. I still have not identified what these bees are.

post extra: day 8 after St Swithin's - there were showers on and off ~ day 9 after St Swithin's - today has been lovely, the weather was warm and sunny (the forecast for the rest of the week is yet more rain).