Emma Parker, Dawsons Burrowing Bees - a short frenzied life (ANIMAL & NATURE 2025)

The arid mud flats in central-western Western Australia are dotted with thousands of little mounds of clay. These are the nest entrances of the Dawson's Burrowing Bees. Burrowing Bees emerge and after a frenzied mating only the females remain; their job is to gather and build caverns and food supplies for the next generation; after their work is finished after only a few weeks they become lethergic and tired easy prey for ravens that hang around waiting for an easy meal

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