Cutting a dash

The Leaf-cutter bees are making great progress with their little colony in the Insect House. This is the third year that they have visited my garden and have made use of the bamboo canes by turning them into breeding apartments for their young.

 

Leaf-cutter bees with some chambers completed and sealed using a circular cut out shape from a leaf. They often use the leaves from rose bushes, fuchsias, cherry tree leaves and buddleia leaves. Each leaf is carefully tailored and meticulously cemented into the hole. An egg is laid in each compartment before it is sealed and there are several eggs in each piece of bamboo before the top seal is added to the end of the chamber.