Wood-carving Leafcutter Bee

A home based day for me, trying to put at least part of the house into some sort of order, despite the ongoing heat. Hoovering in temperatures of over 28C is not my favourite occupation! There wasn't much time for photography, so this was a late shot taken in the garden. The Leafcutter Bees are now out in force. This is one of the larger species, bigger than a Honey Bee, which really likes the radiant flowers of the Heartleaf Oxeye. Nesting typically occurs in dead wood, including old fence posts, and sometimes in cavities of man-made items. 

The late afternoon was spent attending a Zoom meeting, and then it was all hands on deck to finish prepare-ing food for our family gathering in the evening. Ben has now received confirmation of his First, so we celebrated with Peach Bellinis, using champagne that was gifted to us several Christmas's ago. This was followed by an eastern Mediterranean influenced vegetarian feast, which felt very appropriate given the weather. It was wonderful to sit outside and chat while a large group of swifts wheeled and screamed overhead - hard to believe that they'll be gone again within a fortnight or so.