Anyone know anything about bees/wasps?

[alison]

Over the last few days, various gardens round here seem to have loads and loads of what look like small bees (although they may be wasps) buzzing around just above the grass.  They're never still, so it's difficult to be sure, but I get the impression of a rather furry, rusty-brown "upper" body - although the ones in my neighbour's garden do look a bit more stripey and wasp-like.  They are certainly emitting a buzzing or humming, and I don't think they are one of those insects which mimics a bee/wasp.

 

I wondered if anyone knew what they were likely to be?

[AnneMarriott]

Hoverflies?

[Jan McNulty]

Can you get a photograph and load it to iNaturalist?

[alison]

No, not hoverflies.  And I doubt I could get a photo that would be clear enough - they keep moving!

[Anna C]

They may be solitary mining or mason bees.  We get them in our garden because the entire back half of the garden is a slope, made up of free draining sandy soil.

 

This time of year they are digging tunnels in lawns or soil to make nests.  You’ll see them again in spring when the pupae hatch and fly away.

 

They are “solitary” rather than swarming, and they’re very good natured, only stinging if absolutely necessary.  We can walk among them and do gardening jobs, and they don’t bat an eyelid.

 

https://www.herefordshirewt.org/blog/andrew-nixon/mining-bees

[alison]

"Solitary".  Interesting description when there are probably 100 of them hovering over a few square metres!  I did wonder - there is what I'd assumed (and indeed think) are a couple of "ant nest"-type patches of soil turned up in the middle of the garden, but I can't spot those in anyone else's garden.  I assume we're on London clay here, although I haven't checked.  Maybe it is a bit sandy this far out ...  The rusty "fur" certainly matches up.  And yes, they do seem to be pretty well behaved - I suspect I could "wade" through them if I could bring myself to do so!

 

Thanks, Anna.  This sounds a reasonably likely explanation.

[Guest oncnp]

This might help

 

What bee is this? | British Beekeepers Association (bbka.org.uk)

[alison]

Just as long as they aren't wood-eating bees   I had some of those in my compost heap a couple of decades back.  I'd walk past the garden shed and hear this vague chomping noise, but didn't really think much of it until I noticed pieces of the shed starting to fall off!

[Anna C]

42 minutes ago, alison said:

"Solitary".  Interesting description when there are probably 100 of them hovering over a few square metres!  I did wonder - there is what I'd assumed (and indeed think) are a couple of "ant nest"-type patches of soil turned up in the middle of the garden, but I can't spot those in anyone else's garden.  I assume we're on London clay here, although I haven't checked.  Maybe it is a bit sandy this far out ...  The rusty "fur" certainly matches up.  And yes, they do seem to be pretty well behaved - I suspect I could "wade" through them if I could bring myself to do so!

 

Thanks, Anna.  This sounds a reasonably likely explanation.

Yes, it’s funny to think of them as solitary when there are so many of them!   It just means that they don’t live in colonies with a Queen and Workers.  Each female builds her own nest.

 

I suspect that’s why they are so docile and good-natured; no “hive mind” or pack mentality.  Apparently, the males don’t even have a sting.

[alison]

Oh good, since I'd guess their numbers have increased by 80% or more since yesterday.  I know it's all the wrong time of year, but I can't work out whether a lot of them have just hatched (but surely they'd be smaller?) or whether this is what constitutes a swarm for this type of bee.  They did seem to be congregating round somewhere earlier, but that seems to have stopped.  

 

The window cleaner called earlier, but I've put him off because I don't want him accidentally treading on them. 

[Jan McNulty]

I found this on a FB group the other day.  I know yours are not bumblebees Alison but this is fascinating.

 

 

[zxDaveM]

Yes, my hedge is alive with Ivy Miner Bees at the moment, as the ivy in full flower. Industrious wee critters, and harmless

I also get a variety of miner bees in Spring, when the Leafcutter Bees take wee circular sections out of the leaves on my rose bushes!

[LinMM]

If they’re very small and rusty brown they are quite likely to be mason bees! 
We have several tube like structures especially bought to encourage them to nest …they’re pretty unobtrusive. 
My partner wanted them because apparently Mason bees are often early Spring fliers and so good for pollinating fruit trees though if it’s a very cold Spring they don’t seem to arrive that early. I’ve never seen swarms of them though!! 
We seem to have loads of leaf cutter bees at the moment making some plants look very motheaten!! 

[alison]

The flowers have all gone, so I can't see what they would be after.  Maybe they could find some fruit trees somewhere ...  It was really Piccadilly Circus-like this morning - you know those speeded-up aerial photos of heavy traffic you see sometimes?  It was rather like that.  Very disconcerting.  I expect they'll vanish again in a few days.