Hobbies And Interests
Solitary Ground Bees
The plasterer bee nests in natural cavities of stones and bricks, but also digs ground burrows in sandy areas. Sweat bees, leaf-cutter and mason bees build nests in the ground, but also use hollow stems and natural crevices for their nests. Digger bees stick mainly to individual ground burrows. Other social bees with no common name are the Andrena (Diandrena) blennospermatis, Panurginus, Lasioglossum (Dialictus), Andrena (Diandrena) submoesta, Andrena (Hesperandrena) limnanthis and Panurginus occidentalis.
Social Ground Bees
Though the mining bee, also known as the andrenid bee, makes its individual home in solitary nests, a colony sometimes builds individual nests in large groups in a single area. The halictid bees appear as social bees in some habitats, but build solitary ground nests in others. One of the most common social ground bees is the bumble bee.
Solitary Ground Wasps
The solitary hunting, digger and cicada killer wasps are among common solitary wasps that make nests in the ground. The steniolia sand wasp is a solitary wasp that digs its burrows in the ground. It looks similar to the yellow jacket. The spider-hunting wasps rarely fly. They run along the ground when they hunt. The females dig their own underground burrows or use vacant spider burrows for nesting.
Ruby-tailed Wasp
The ruby-tailed wasp, also known as the cuckoo or jewel wasp, is seen entering and leaving ground burrows. This wasp, however, does not live in the ground burrows; she only lays her eggs in them. The burrows she uses are those of other species of solitary bees and wasps. She then relies on the bees and wasps that live in these burrows to feed and care for her young.