I was daydreaming today about stuff. I remember the summer before last I saw an article this fellow had wrote about looking for what he called "the little squash bee". He went on to say that the male little squash bee slept in the flowers of the squashes and the female burrowed into the ground. In his article he was imploring people to be on the look out for this little fellow and to advise if they had any sightings. As I grow all different manner of squash, I did keep my eye out for the little guy that summer and this summer as well, never to set my eyes on him. Does anyone actually know what the real name for this little squash bee is? I would be interested. I was surprised that the writer did not give the formal name for the bee. I am going to see if I can find the article when I return home, to see if I may have missed something that may give a better clue about identification. Great day. Cindi
There are all manner of what I call "native bees" around, perhaps yours is one? The ones we have are tiny stingless things, look more like a little fly. A lot just live on one plant alone. Kill the host plant and the bee dies :(.
I will have to find a pic of a xanthorea flowering spike with a native bee on it for you.
Quote from: mick on December 04, 2006, 05:37:26 AM
There are all manner of what I call "native bees" around, perhaps yours is one? The ones we have are tiny stingless things, look more like a little fly. A lot just live on one plant alone. Kill the host plant and the bee dies :(.
I will have to find a pic of a xanthorea flowering spike with a native bee on it for you.
Mick, I would love to see that picture. I did see a little tiny bee on one of the cucumber flowers this summer. But it was not sleeping. The honeybees love the curcurbit flowers, I watch them crawling in all the time, so cute. I took a picture of one of the tiny bees that was in one of the flowers, but it was not overly clear, so I don't think I will post it. I wonder why a bee would have only one specific plant for their life to depend upon. Great day. Cindi