Monday, March 26, 2007

Speaking of bees...

There was a funny little black bee hanging around my porch this weekend. I was in the middle of painting, so I didn't take a picture. It was flying from hole to hole (keyhole, mailbox, crack in the siding) and appeared to be looking for a way in. It looked much smaller than the bees that I think of as carpenter bees (the ones that look like bumble bees). Anyone have any ideas about this one? I'll try to get a picture if it comes back. I hope it's not a bee that can causge damage, otherwise I might have to kill it :(

4 comments:

Sparkling Squirrel said...

Painting walls or painting paintings?

Jenny said...

I guess it could be some cavity nesting bee. If it is kind of dark bluish, it might be Osmia lignaria, a mason bee. The females use mud to make cells within small crevices, so perhaps she was scouting out a nest site. Last spring a female filled up screw holes in a table on the front porch, and I am really hoping her offsrping will emerge soon.

Erin said...

I like the idea of a mason bee living in my house. Sounds handy...

I was painting the stairs and wearing my respirator. Painting a painting would have been more fun! But the stairs look better, so it is still an accomplishment.

Tucson Trekker said...

How is the house coming, anyway, Erin? Must be near done by now.