This wicked bundle of fuzz (above) is a male Wool Carder Bee, Anthidium manicatum - a European species in the family of resin, leafcutter, and mason bees. A pair of these (the female is significantly smaller than male) are the first bees I see in the garden in spring, always at our foxglove (Digitalis). Later in summer they are hanging about the Agastache and blue Lobelia flowers. The name wool-carder comes from nesting behavior of the female involving collection of “fuzz” from Lambs Ears or other plants. The males are territorial and very aggressive toward other bees. I watched our resident bully repeatedly attack and tumble with a carpenter bee more than twice his size.Photo below shows the dainty female guzzling from a hyssop blossom. (Click for larger image.)
This blurred action pic demonstrates the size difference between genders (not to mention how mean the male is as the female somersaults out of his way.)
We already have mostly native plants in our yard, in order to support native wildlife. And now that I see this introduced bee dominating the garden around our few non-native flowers, I’m more determined than ever to have native plants across the “border,” and everywhere else.
