[David Dickinson]

This bee has set up his territory in my garden and is extremely effective at driving away all other insects from his chosen plants. I say "his" because I have read that male Carpenter bees have this habit. Does anybody recognise this species?

Patrolling a stretch of around 10m, buzzing back and forth non-stop, he dive-bombs any other insect which tries to feed on the plants in his range, Even insects more than triple his size like the black Carpenter bee. Other bees, butterflies, wasps etc. too. Preferred tactic is to scoot back and forth, hover about a foot away from anything he spots and then dive in knocking the other off the flower. The insect is then chased away. He has a very loud buzz, disproportionate to his size. I wonder if I would have more butterflies visiting if he weren't around?

I spent some time this morning filming him in action but don't think I can attach videos to postings. Or can I?

[Fleur Pavlidis]

There's no straight forward way to post a video. Ive found instructions for how to add a YouTube video so I'll try it out when I get back to Greece and my PC.

[Alisdair]

A couple of years ago I did put a short video on YouTube (about a stand at the Chelsea show) and then on this forum posted the link to it, so that people could click through to it.

[JTh]

Are you sure it`s  not an ordinary honey bee?  It certainly does not look like any carpenter bee I have seen. If it's a single specimen with behavioural problems, I wouldn'y worry, they don't live that long; working bees have a life span of five to six weeks during the  active season

[David Dickinson]

Hi JTH,

I can see why you might think it is an ordinary honey bee from the last picture I posted. Here are 2 photos that I took today while the bee was taking a well earned rest and having a feed. If it is a honey bee that is a little deranged, that would be good, as once it dies the other insects will be able to come back.

[John J]

Perhaps one for the entomologists. Beneficial or not? Do I leave it or squash it?

[Umbrian]

Interesting John - can't wait to see what it is ....and hope you don't have to squash it!

[JTh]

I wonder if it is a caterpillar of a cabbage butterfly? They don't spin a cocoon, but some silky 'threads' to attach themselves to the leaves, I think I can see a few strands.

[John J]

I think you are right, Jorun, thanks. It is attached by threads on both sides. OK, it can stay.

[Alisdair]

What is it actually attached to, John?

[John J]

It's tucked into an Aloe arborescens, Alisdair.

[Alisdair]

Good protection for it

[John J]

A couple of months ago I and a friend, Marianne Merki, had a short discussion about praying mantis after finding one on a plant in a nursery we were visiting. Today she sent me some photos of a cocoon she had found on one of her own plants and had kept an eye on. They show several youngsters emerging and taking their first steps into the unknown.

[John J]

When the hunter becomes the hunted. I spotted this lizard with a mantis in its mouth but by the time I had dashed indoors to get my camera it had released it for some reason. The mantis then headed for a bunch of discarded dry flowers waiting to be disposed of, I assume to attempt to hide, while the lizard remained frozen, possibly due to my presence.

[JTh]

This is a visitor which is definitely welcome. It always amazes me how quickly the tortoises are moving, I just managed to get a quick snap before it disappeared under a large oregano outside the kitchen door, it's probably still there. I believe it is a Testudo graeca, it was fairly lage but in good shape.


P4149387-Edit.jpg Visiting tortoise by Jorun Tharaldsen, on Flickr