solstice bees

of course a damp, cool solstice is the perfect day fro warm weather bees to arrive...actually the cool part is okay..it slows them down...it is the wet that is an issue...no bee wants to hatch out of a wet cocoon...

so i took some cocoons out to the bee house ( this is why they are called leaf cutters )...

a few had hatched out on the trip ( which is why i stuck the mesh bag in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes before i started this...

they engaged in some group behaviors...these are solitary bees so i am unsure if it was social ( "some ride, huh herbie...and where the hell are we?" ) or aggression ...

eventually they wandered off on their own...

to ponder their surroundings...

after i finished here i took some cocoons over to my son's domicile for the bee house there...there was. apparently, on that a.) got knocked into the paper bag or, b.) hatched out on the trip over...either way another scout looking around