Cuckoo Bee Melecta albifrons

This species is a cuckoo bee of the Hairy-footed Flower Bee, Anthophora plumipes. The female M. albifrons goes into an Anthophora burrow and lays its egg, on the cell wall, alongside the pollen food supply gathered by Anthophora and the host’s egg. When the Melecta albifrons egg hatches the larva first kills the host egg then feeds on the food supply intended for the Anthophora larva, pupates and emerges next year instead of the host.

The male has more abundant white hair than does the female.

http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/melecta-albifrons

Images from two days, each a session of 1-2 hours. Some have been cropped by ca one third.

Olympus EM-1 (aperture priority), Olympus 4/3 x2 TC, Olympus 4/3 50mm f2 macro, f11, hand-held. Shutter speeds various, 1/200 to 1/400.

I hope to upload some stereos tomorrow.

Harold