Monday 6 February 2012

In which another cuckoo visits my garden

A bright little bee visited my garden this morning and I didn't know what it was. Turns out it's a Chequered Cuckoo Bee Thyreus caecruleopunctatus. Apparently the females lay their eggs in partially-constructed brood cells of Blue-banded Bees. The similar-looking Neon Cuckoo Bee has a different stripe pattern on the abdomen.

Most of the records for this bee on Atlas of Australia are in March and April with a few in each of the other months.




Now I have to go back into the garden to have another go at photographing the little skipper butterfly feeding on the flowers of my garlic chives. Every attempt so far has been a dud.

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