Colletes hederae doing well on Gower.

During a very nice weekend I had a chance for a thorough check of Nicholaston to Overton Mere for Colletes hederae and this is what I found.

 Female

 Red arrow shows vein 2m-Cu bulging outwards.

 First colony, see above, found was at the soft cliffs at Horton, at the top of the cliffs about 12 males patrolling. A second colony 100m west, same habitat, had 30 or so males patrolling.

Further west in the dunes between Horton and Port Eynon I found 3 more smaller colonies in vertical sand cliffs. There were also some individuals at Ivy in Port Eynon village.

On sunday I found 2 more colonies, one very large with at least 50 holes, many males patrolling and females entering holes with pollen loads on 45 degree sand slopes in Nicholaston dunes with very sparse vegetation and lots of bare sand. All colonies faced between south and south-west. They were feeding on Ivy at the edge of the woods, sometimes even well into the shade. The species looks well settled in to Gower. Obviously the places to look have Ivy and a sandy substrate, waterlogging free, into which to burrow.