Hairy-footed Bee

A small colony of ground nesting Bees in the garden, possibly Hairy-footed Bees. Fascinating to watch as they dig their nest holes and clean out any debris.

They are solitary Bees and the male dies shortly after mating (ouch) and the female digs the nest site.

They dig a single entrance that branches off to several cells. The female then fills the cell with nectar and pollen and lays an egg in each cell.

They hatch after a few days and pupate after a few weeks and then the adults emerge the following spring.