What's this? A pictorial guide to things found in nesting holes.

What's this? A pictorial guide to things found in nesting holes.

Various cocoons





Blue Orchard Bee
Hornfaced Bee
Osmia Coloradensis or Osmia Californica





Leafcutter
Wasp (bullet)
Wasp (grass)
summer bee/wasp




Wool Carder




Pests to Hole-Nesting Bees






Pollen Mites
Chalkbrood
Houdini Fly Larva
Houdini Fly Adult




Pollen mite on mason bee
Mono holes in tubes
Mono - parasitic wasp
Pteromalis - leafcutter wasp




Earwig
Carpet beetle



Things in a Nesting Hole






Mud nesting wall
Mason bee feces (larva poop)
 Yellow Pollen Ball
Orange Pollen Ball



Mason bee egg
Bee Larva



For more information regarding these pests, visit our Learn page. There are several pages depending on what time of year you found the pest.

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