Mason bee

As a mason bees the three related genera Hoplitis, Hoplosmia and Osmia are called. There are separate living solitary bees, they belong to the family Megachilidae within the bees. The mason bees are closely related to the holes Heriades bees and the bees Chelostoma scissors. All five species were sometimes combined in the genus Osmia, but this is out of date. Some species are similar to honey bees, but their solitary lifestyle is probably phylogenetically older.

Mason bees are among the most common solitary bees. Set of glands and secretions of leaf and soil building material manufactures for their cells in which grows the brood. These nests they create species-specific - for example, in walls, rock crevices or in the ground, as well as in stems, dead wood in hollow branches or in corridors holzbohrender insects.

From nesting to hatching larva and

Building materials and brood food

One third of the 50 Central European species preferably already existing cavities, some build in sandy soil or stones, but at least a quarter even in empty snail shells or the Mark of plant stems. The building material of the former and the " Steinbauer " is mainly mineral ( sand, clay, pebbles ), but partly also plants mortar ( chewed leaf pieces - what then "tuned" the shape of the jaw ). About the snails settlers you only know little, those in the marrow usually take pieces of leaf. Some species bite off too petals, such as Hoplitis papaveris that digs as well as Osmia maritima sand holes.

The female feeds the future larvae of each cell with pollen and often some nectar. Then it lays an egg on the pollen storage and closes the cell. The cell closure is usually at the same time the rear wall of the next cell - so hide behind a nest closure, several cells. The Osmia brevicornis, however, fills their nest boxes throughout with pollen grains, and their larvae grow up together.

Some walls bee species can be specifically promote by putting up nest boxes. This is not only the general decline of most solitary bees countered as a result of landscape changes, there have naturally interested laymen and experts also good opportunities for wildlife viewing.

So unlike the sand bee ( Andrena sp. ) To mason bees rarely found together in larger groups. Only if one sets up many Nistblöcke at one point, there is a comparable with sand bee population density.

For species Osmia inermis, O. and O. xanthomelana must elina precursors of social behavior can be observed.

Parasites

Like all solitary bees also affects the mason bee parasites. A quarter of the bee species are " brood parasites " or - parasitic that lay their eggs in other birds' nests. The descendants of these " cuckoo bees" feed on their larvae or encountered provisions. A series of wall bee species are hosts for the cuckoo bee genera Stelis and Dioxys.

For this frequent phenomenon but there are other parasites from the insect kingdom: Nature lovers can always watch the dazzling metallic gold wasps ( Chrysidinae ) as they wait " patiently " to an appropriate moment for their own egg laying to the Nistblöcken of mason bees.

Larva, pupation and flight times

The larva moults after hatching several times and eats weeks from the supply of food before they einspinnt and pupates in a cocoon. At the end of metamorphosis emerges from the pupa, the airworthy bee ( Imago ). The winter break can be inserted at different stages: Some species overwinter as larvae already, other than finished insects which can then slip already in the cool of March.

Most first the males appear to ( Proterandrie ) and must wait 1 to 2 weeks later herausschlüpfenden females. This probably because the unfertilized eggs are placed last, so that the males are free to gnaw the Nistgang before the females. Most of the 50 Central European species bring it to only one generation per year ( " univoltine "). Your flight times are 1 ½ to 3 months, but species-specific, very different:

Of the eight most important species O. cornuta ( Horned mason bee ) starts in March / April; they count as " eurytopic type " to the " habitat generalists ", which in many habitats ( probably feels in villages and the city., the known Osmia bicornis ( red mason bee ) flies at least in April and May, while Hoplosmia spinulosa and Hoplitis claviventris June to August are traveling.

Others

The species Osmia bicolor (two- colored snail bee) was elected on October 7, 2012 at the Hymenopterologen Conference in Stuttgart to wild bee of the year 2013.