Solitary Adrena spp. bees and their kleptoparasitic Nomad bees flying in big numbers now in Sussex.

Dozens of tiny bees were flying around ivy near Crowlink on the Seven Sisters and the sunny side of a yew hedge in my garden in Cuckfield this week in Sussex.

Andrena sp.

 These are Andrena spp. possibly Andrena haemorrhoa, Orange-tailed mining bee.

Andrena haemorrhoa, Orange-tailed mining bee.

Gooden's Nomad Bee, Nomada goodeniana

In the same location were these stripy bees, which look like Gooden's Nomad Bee, Nomada goodeniana.  Nomad bees lay their eggs in the nests of host bees and then eat the host's food store and grubs.
The miniature struggle for survival on our hedgerows is fascinating.  You need a good eye: or a good camera to see it.  These pictures were taken with a Panasonic ZX1000 camera.
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