Posts Tagged: Anthidium manicatum
This Bully Bee Goes for the Blue Plate Special
It's a bully. But what a bully! Ever seen the male European wool carder bee (Anthidium manicatum)...
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum, heads toward a blue spike sage, Salvia uliginosa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The European wool carder bee, an Old World bee, seems to prefer blue flowers with a long throat. This is blue spike sage, Salvia uliginosa, a native of Brazil. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Two European wool carder bees in the process of giving the world more wool carder bees. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Under Attack: European Wool Carder Bee Vs. Male Valley Carpenter Bee
Meet the competitors. In this corner, meet Mr. Teddy Bear. He's a blond, green-eyed carpenter bee,...
Meet Mr. Teddy Bear, a green-eyed blond trying to nourish himself on foxglove nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Meet Mr. Bodyslam, a very territorial European wool carder bee. He patrols the foxgloves. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Mr. Bodyslam targets the unsuspecting Mr. Teddy Bear. "Hey, get away from my flowers and nobody gets hurt." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Mr. Bodyslam is moving so fast, he's a blur. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
And the battle begins! Mr. Bodyslam attacks Mr. Teddy Bear. "Hey, can't a fellow get a bite to eat in peace?" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Gotcha! The attack turns vicious. Mr. Bodyslam slams into Mr. Teddy Bear, a blow that prompted Mr. Teddy Bear to depart (only to return). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bully in the Bee Garden
He's the bully in the bee garden. If you've ever watched the male European wool carder bee...
Male European wool carder bee (Anthidium manicatum)targets a female Valley carpenter bee (Xylocopa varipuncta) on a bluebeard (Caryopteris). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Male European wool carder bee (Anthidium manicatum) takes another swipe at the female Valley carpenter bee (Xylocopa varipuncta) on a bluebeard (Caryopteris). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Sleepytime! Male European wool carder bees sleeping inside a mason bee condo, bee housing meant for blue orchard bees. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Catch Me If You Can
Do they ever slow down? Not much. The male European wool carder bee (Anthidium manicatum), a...
A male European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum, warms its flight muscles on a bluebeard blossom (Caryopteris clandonensis). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Morning sip of nectar for a wool carder bee is like a morning sip of coffee for us humans. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Dorsal view of a male European wool carder bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Well, hello there! This male wool carder bee eyes the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Boy Wonder!
I've been waiting for a decade to see a male Valley carpenter bee (Xylocopa varipuncta) foraging in...
A male Valley carpenter bee engaging in nectar robber; he's drilling a hole in a foxglove to get the nectar, avoiding the pollination process. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Male valley carpenter bee foraging on dwarf bulbine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Male Valley carpenter bee "cuddling" a blanket flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Eyeing the photographer, a male Valley carpenter bee gets ready to leave a blanket flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male Valley carpenter bee lifts off a foxglove. He was early chased by a territorial male European wool carder bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)