Leaf Cutter Bee Nemesis

The leaf cutter bees are very busy making leafy, pollen and nectar filled cells in which to lay their eggs. They're using the old galvanised carnation bed tubes in the skip again this year. I watched them fascinated for a long time. I saw one cut out a circle from a field maple leaf. Amazing how quickly it did it. 

I wasn't the only one watching. :( I spotted this dull-vented sharp-tail bee keeping a close eye on proceedings. It's a cuckoo bee and will sneak in and lay its egg in the leafy cell wall. It's larva will emerge, crush the leaf cutter bee egg or larva with its powerful jaws and enjoy the bounty. Such a shame as one leaf cutter bee that I watched spent all day carefully creating the perfectly provisioned nursery for her offspring.