On 05/05/2013 13:35, John Rye wrote:
Hello All

I had this variety at my last house in Chester, and it was fascinating to see
them working. They never stung me or any of my children.

Now down in Suffolk I "enjoy" another variety of these solitary bees. This
one lays its eggs in some of my cactus pots. Most of the young seem to hatch
out on the same day, and on that day I have 50-100 bees flying around in my
greenhouse waiting for the automatic vents to open.

I would prefer it if I could persuade them to nest in pots full of gritty
soil with no plants growing in them, but I have not succeded yet. I do lose
an occasional cactus plant due to root disturbance, but it is worth it to
provide them with a home.

Mine line their excavations with bits of leaf cut from plants mainly of the
genus Rosaceae

John

Sound like leaf cutter bees http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/leafcutter-bee.html