The witchy ways of UK mason bees are revealed in theGrasslandsepisode of David Attenborough and the BBC’sWild Islesthis Sunday . fly around the countryside on broomstick might seem like an unnecessary party trick for winged insects , but the peculiar conduct taps into the extremum these bees go to in order of magnitude to protect their developing issue .
The two - color mason bee ( Osmia bicolor ) is arguably the best parent among Britain ’s 250 bee coinage . In episode 3 ofWild Isles , we come after one female parent on her pastime for the perfect nest for each of her eggs and find out why they ’ve garner the nickname “ enchantress bee ” .
“ The two - coloured mason bee , our “ beldam bee ” , superstar around chalk grassland face for empty snail shell of the precise correct sizing , ” explained producer Nicholas Gates in a statement go steady by IFLScience .
“ Like Goldilocks with her porridge examination , the female two - coloured mason bee will check lots of empty shells in the grassland , some are too full-grown , some are too pocket-sized or damage , until she come up just the right one within which to lay her egg . ”
Snail ball nursery secure , the mason bee then has a second and substantially more exhausting chore on her manpower . Blade by blade , reefer by stick , she will mask her escargot shell nest egg with dried materials like older grass . The stacks can be build to 20 sticks in high spirits , and each one gets there by being singly take flight by the mason bee , making her look as if she is flee around on a broom handle .
If Ginny Beesley whizz around on a ling is n’t enough to whet your appetence , theGrasslandsepisode has plenty more intrigue to lure you into the toothsome UK countryside . Camera woman Katie Mayhew got up - close and personal with mating adders to capture how the Male get dragged around by their penises during copulation . It sound like a harsh deal , but they ’ve evolve special penis barbs for this accurate purpose .
A motion-picture photography first is also captured in the episode as Attenborough reveals the full lifecycle of the big depressed butterfly stroke . enamor it involve commit disjoined teams to different stages of this species ’ complex life style , which involves duping doer ants into take in a caterpillar only for it to unleash a six - month rape on the colony ’s larvae .
So , if you thought the UK countryside was all about bunnies and dandelions , think again . From the coastal flower meadows in the Scottish Outer Hebrides to the mountainous landscape of south - west Ireland , there ’s lot of death and desperation to be found in the Great British outdoors .
Tune into BBC One and iPlayer forWild Isles Grasslandsfrom March 26 .
