Guard House - Bedroom

I've been making video's of Andrena working on their nests, coming and going to forage etc.... I've been seeing something that looks like a "Mothers room" near the entrance to the nest. This nest belongs to a mid season Andrena Species and rain has washed away the loose dirt covering the nest structures. At the top of the shaft she builds a right angle entrance to the shaft and I think the bulb in the structure near the opening is mom's "guard shack" / bedroom where she stands guard when not working down with the brood to exclude predators and parasites. Does any one Know if I'm right?

@wenatcheeb @beespeaker @eebee @augustjackson

Earth Moving Bee
https://youtu.be/8tMtyrZdc3c

This next clip is a continuation of nest work from "Earth Moving Bee"
Bee excavating nest & building nest entrance
https://youtu.be/1ZRY-sUqzg0

This next clip is a vertical shaft style nest. When I recorded it I thought she was obtaining material for the closure from inside the shaft, but I've seen other bees taking refuge in an upper chamber of the nest.

Bee Butts
https://youtu.be/gZabWAas0Wo

Posted on June 12, 2022 05:07 PM by little_mousie