Heriades truncorum (Ridge-saddled carpenter bee)♀︎♂︎

Last update: 30 June 2019


Common

LOCATION: Krimpen aan den IJssel, garden

OBSERVATION:
2019-VI-07


Today was the day the next generation of Ridge-saddled carpenter bee (Heriades truncorum) emerged from the beehotel. It started in the morning when I spotted one male and from there the numbers rapidly increased until the swarm was complete totalling 50 or more specimen at the end of the day.

In the scene below we are still at the beginning when a handfull of males were flying around, inspecting holes in the hotel. Sometimes they would sit and wait at one because those holes contained females that were about to emerge.

I spotted this female because a male was clearly interested in the hole. In the first instance she sat behind the entrance peeping to the world outside, but after some time she stuck her head out.

Ridge-saddled carpenter bee (Heriades truncorum)
Ridge-saddled carpenter bee (Heriades truncorum)
Ridge-saddled carpenter bee (Heriades truncorum)

The male returned and tried to seduce her to come out. He then sat motionless next to the hole as she emerged in the entrance with her head touching him. They took their time for this ritual.

Ridge-saddled carpenter bee (Heriades truncorum)
Ridge-saddled carpenter bee (Heriades truncorum)

But alas, she was not interested to come outside and retreated back into the tunnel not to appear again. He continued to stand there for a while, before deciding it was fruitless and moved on.

Ridge-saddled carpenter bee (Heriades truncorum)

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