Osmia caerulescens

• Scientific name: Osmia caerulescens
• Common name: osmia cerulea
• Dimension: 8-10 mm
• Habitat: woodland margins, clearings, dry meadows, traditional orchards, uncultivated vineyards and often also in urban areas
• Behavior: solitary
• Collective behavior: polylectic
• Nest: in various above-ground cavities, such as xylophagous insect galleries in dead wood and cracks in walls
• Parasitized by: Stelis ornatula
• Red list of bees in Switzerland: not endangered

Interesting Facts:

Blue mason bees line their nest with a vegetable paste, which they makes by chewing leaves, as well as mallow and poppy petals finely. This material is then mixed with bodily secretions and nectar, creating a resistant and protective compound.