My garden has got some unlikely invaders. They appeared out of the ground like magic and have completely changed my lawn from flat green grass to being full of grey miniature volcanoes of dirt.
But these invaders are actually friendly and do good for the environment. These mysterious animals are mining bees. Mining bees are not your everyday bees, as instead of living in beehives they dig individual holes and live in them alone. If you have them in your garden, you might be a bit worried with loads of bees buzzing around, but unlike normal bees they don’t sting. Which is great because that means I can get really, really close to them.
Mining bees are very efficient pollinators, but instead of turning the pollen into honey they store it in their holes for food. What I love about mining bees is the way they fly very low to the ground just around your ankles, so you can see more of them and what they look like. What we have is ivy mining bees, and they come out as the summer ends because that’s when ivy flowers come out. Most mining bees come out in early summer.
But there comes a time when, just as suddenly as they appear, the bees in my garden leave. That time will be coming soon. Though I am sad to see them go, I’m always OK with it because my lawn turns back to normal and I get my football pitch back.
Read today’s other YCD piece, by Amaya, 10: ‘My spade and I saved 24 jellyfish’
Young Country Diary is published every fourth Saturday of the month. The submission form is currently closed, but it will reopen on Friday 29 November, when we will be asking for winter pieces