A Mystery Solved!

Well, part of a mystery. Check out this bee.

Three years ago, I stood and watched this bee take leaf cuttings up the tube of my old wind chime. It was painstaking work. He'd appear with the bit of leaf, check out each tube as though he didn't remember which one he was working in, then attempt to fly up it. You can see it's not much bigger around than him, especially with the leaf bit.

Between any slight breeze and the wind from his own wings, the tube would sway and swing, making his work pretty tedious from a human perspective.




Eventually he'd get into the tube, after what seemed like countless attempts, and disappear for awhile. There'd be all kinds of vibrating buzzing sounds echoing out of the tube, then he'd emerge and fly off.

I was incredulous! What was he doing up there and what was the point? Was anything else besides little rounds of leaves up in there? Eggs? Food? After a few minutes, he'd come back and start the process all over.

Unfortunately, the wind chimes blew down a couple of days later and I couldn't put them back together with a possible bee colony inside, being deathly allergic to bee stings. These photos were originally a digital video, which accounts for only some of the blurriness (have you ever tried to photograph a furiously moving insect while trying to contain your excitement and stifle laughs that would create more air, just making his job all the harder?!).





Chapter 2
Today, Henson and I were standing in the yard (actually, I was standing and he was lolling about in the grass like he didn't have to pee at all) and my eyes caught sight of a movement on a wine berry leave. If I'd had my camera at that point, you'd see this bee chewing a perfect circle out of the leaf, surrounded by evidence of previous circles already spirited away. He completely ignored us, finished his job, and careened off, nearly crashing into me, clutching the circle of leaf. I don't know how he carried them (with his mouth or his feet), or where, but I do know he'll be back and I'll hopefully have the camera with me.

Why is this going on in the Fall? Is it food? Insulation? Getting ready to hibernate bachelor style? What's this all about?!






All photos were taken by me. Please do not copy or reproduce in any way.