African Wildlife and Environment Issue 68

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

Whereas with the Solitary bees, many of them have specially adapted hairs under their abdomens (bellies), thorax and legs to carry the pollen. The pollen is tucked in these hairs dry, and as they rush about in the flowers collecting pollen, a lot of the pollen falls off or is brushed off as they pass over the stamens of the flowers. They are very busy little fellows and as they ‘swim’ through the flowers, one can often see the trail of pollen they have left behind. The other great advantage they have over their honey-making cousins is that they vary in length from a couple of millimeters to the larger carpenter bees (often mistakenly called ‘Bumble Bees’). Because of this size variation the Solitary bees are able to gain access to the tiny flowers found in our herb and vegetable gardens and in so doing pollinate a greater variety of plants sizes, to improve the yield. How and why should we keep and look after Solitary bees? As mentioned earlier, a large proportion of these gentle creatures only need a hole in wood to breed and as our cities spread out into the countryside, the natural areas are destroyed and replaced in the main with exotic plants and lawns. Humans being what they are, tend to remove any dead dry branches or logs, dumping or burning them for ‘braais’ and or cooking, as well as utilising them as much desired building material thus destroying the bees’ natural homes. The results of this destruction can be offset by simply putting up a ‘bee hotel’. A Tutus Loco (meaning ‘safe place’ in Latin) bee hotel is a natural piece of wood with different sized holes drilled to specific depths for the different species to use as a safe nesting spot. The hotels are completely safe to have around children and pets as the bees are gentle and non stinging, (they do not come out and attack like Honey bees), and they will provide you and the family with hours of entertainment. Not only is it good for the environment, it is the perfect tool to teach children the importance of the smaller creatures around us, and develop an early passion for caring for our wildlife. Without bees we as a species will starve to death and die off. For further information go to www.beehotels.co.za or follow us on Facebook - www.facebook.com/ Tutusloco

Both nectar and pollen will be placed into the back of the hole. This is now officially the ‘Pantry’ and the quantity will be sufficient to sustain the youngster through to maturity. The ‘Pantry’ is nowfull, the femalewill lay anywhere between two to seven eggs on the food pile or next to it and then leave. However, before she leaves she has one more vital task to complete, and that is to seal the entrance to the nest. Different materials and different techniques will be used to seal the entrance of the hole, which again is species-dependent. Some use mud, others small stones, some may even lick it closed using saliva. The bee species with the ability to cut larger leaves use specific leaves and techniques, which makes the entrance look like some fantastic leaf arrangement. This sealing is to prevent predators from entering the nest and predating on the young. I know you are asking “but how do the youngsters get out?” Well, once they reach maturity inside the nest they will eat their way out through the sealed entrance. They enter the world, meet a mate, and copulate. A single female may return to the nest to clean it out and reuse it, that is of course if another bee has not beaten her to it. This cycle continues through the warmer months, come winter the capped holes will remain like that until spring. What is the Solitary bee’s role in life and why are they so important to our existence and survival?

Female Leaf Cutter sealing her nest

now look for a safe place to create the nest. It could be a small burrow in the ground, an empty dry reed, a dead dry branch on a tree or a dead tree stump. The choice is species-dependent, with hundreds of options. Certain species will make their own hole, others will look for an abandoned or pre-used hole which must be the perfect size for the purpose. The hole will be prepared and once completed the pollen and nectar collection starts as a matter of urgency.

will hit you, that there are quite a few around in an array of shapes and colours. ‘Solitary’ is a term used to describe the way they behave. They live on their own and the youngsters grow up without parental care or supervision, unlike the organised colonies of Honey bees. The Solitary bees find a mate in the garden or veld and once fertilised the female is responsible for making and preparing the nursery in which to lay her eggs. She will

According to scientists it takes approximately 100 Honey bees to do what one Solitary bee can do in terms of pollinating our plants. The reason for this appears to be all in the method of pollen collection. Honey bees tend to put all of their pollen into the baskets on their legs, it is wetted and compacted with saliva so that very little, if any is lost, with the idea of getting as much as possible home to fill the cells for future use.

A Golden Sweat Bee Photographs: Peter Webb

Peter Webb peter@iconc.com

A bee hotel

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