Male Osmies (mason bees) waiting for the morning sunshine

10 or more male solitary bees - identified by their white moustaches and long antennae - wait for the morning sun at the entrances of empty tunnels of a new mason bee drill block. On their left is an older block preferred by the the black-faced females looking out where nesting has already begun (the sealed tunnels are evidence).
I believe that the white moustache (seen across many species of tunnel-centric solitary bees) serves to indicate to other males that what is emerging is not a female and thus not worth expending energy on.

However we often see that in their frenzy to find a mate, males will jump on other males when they arrive from behind.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• mason bees
• solitary bees
• Osmia cornuta
• Osmies
• copulation
• spring sunshine
• nature
• beekeeping
• ecological projects

[Esegismo1]

They look stuck

[sabrinaworcester1]

hi thanks for the vid, can i ask what size are your holes and what is the rolled up stuff in the hole? are they countersunk as well. many thanks