Yellow loosestrife bee
These solitary bees are a wetland specialist and can be seen collecting oils from the yellow loosestrife flowers around the reserve.
The yellow loosestrife bee, Macropis europaea, is one of many species of solitary bee found at WWT Welney. But it is the only one that collects floral oils, which it uses to create a waterproof lining for its nest to protect its precious young from flooding.
Female bees of this species collect the oils and pollen from the yellow loosestrife flowers to provision and line the nests they create within burrows in the ground. Whilst watching the females at work you might notice their back legs which are laden with this yellow waxy substance. Male bees will try and mate with these females, but the females raise their back legs and use them to bat the males away if they are not interested in mating.
The flight season of these bees is July - September, which is when yellow loosestrife is in flower. You might also notice these bees on other wildflowers around the reserve, this is because yellow loosestrife does not produce nectar, so the bees have to feed on other flowers.
Images: Female yellow loosestrife bee flying towards a yellow loosestrife flower by Georegette Taylor; Male yellow loosestrife bee sitting on a yellow loosestrife flower by Kim Tarsey.
