This caught me by surprise. The male red mason bees emerged a few weeks ago and the female cocoons have been biding their time. Then suddenly three decided to emerge at once. The bees behind had chewed their way out of their cocoons and broken down the mud walls between their cells but they then had to wait for their sister in front of them.
The bees are covered in parasitic mites of the genus Chaetodactylus, also known as pollen mites. I had cleared out all the parasitised cells I could see in the winter but the mites can migrate within the bee house and enough had survived to cause this problem. Obviously I can't see into all the nests built within raspberry and bamboo canes elsewhere in the bee house and they could be overwintering a lot of mites.
The first bee in the tunnel was taking her time chewing through her cocoon and the mud walls.
When she eventually made it to the end of the nest she was immediately pounced on by a waiting male. He is quite old and faded and has lost most of his fur and so he looks shiny and black. In this photo the second female has made it to the entrance of the nest.
The second female was also immediately accosted by a male and a second male tried to join in. They fell into a plant pot below the bee house so I rescued them. You can see how small they are.
As the third female approached the entrance two males entered before she could leave but there wasn't room to pass or turn round.
Eventually she also emerged and was grabbed by a male, and then a second. This trio also fell into the plant pot and were rescued.
The unlucky second male in each trio then gave up and left. I hope the females were all successfully mated and can get on with the work of producing the next generation. The males' lives are almost over.
The first bee in the tunnel was taking her time chewing through her cocoon and the mud walls.
When she eventually made it to the end of the nest she was immediately pounced on by a waiting male. He is quite old and faded and has lost most of his fur and so he looks shiny and black. In this photo the second female has made it to the entrance of the nest.
The second female was also immediately accosted by a male and a second male tried to join in. They fell into a plant pot below the bee house so I rescued them. You can see how small they are.
As the third female approached the entrance two males entered before she could leave but there wasn't room to pass or turn round.
Eventually she also emerged and was grabbed by a male, and then a second. This trio also fell into the plant pot and were rescued.
The unlucky second male in each trio then gave up and left. I hope the females were all successfully mated and can get on with the work of producing the next generation. The males' lives are almost over.
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