Blog

At this time last year I was at the military training area De Stompert to look for the grey sand bee (Andrena). It is not rare or particularly beautiful. However, I was told a part of the population becomes active a few weeks too early, because they are infected with a parasite: Stylops, a tiny fly. The females of the Stylops have hatched in the body of the bee and manipulate the nerve system in a way that the bees hatch too early and become slow. This is because then the male Stylops, which are rather slow themselves, can approach the bees and mate with the female Stylopses. The females only have to stick out their abdomen. With a fish-eye I have captured this infected bee, that climbs out of its nest. How sophisticated can evolution be!