A bug hotel
© Katherine Reeves
Red mason bees, Osmia bicornis, have hidden their larvae in this ‘bug hotel’. The females of this species lay their eggs inside these tubes before sealing the entrance with mud. The larvae hatch, hibernate over the winter and break out of their home as adults, to repeat the whole process the following spring.
Each solitary female lays only one egg, which can be found in the smallest gaps in buildings and other structures, as well as in between stones. The female also collects pollen for its eggs, and it has been estimated that it needs to visit around 1,875 flowers to feed one larva.
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