While looking at the dried up lavender flowers outside today (which attract dozens of bees during the summer), I noticed one set of flowers that was covered with dried-up, dead bees. There were probably 8 or 9 bees all “stuck” to this dried-up lavender.
None of the other sets of flowers had any dead insects on them that I saw - just this one. Most of the bees were on one side of the flower, also.
I don’t spray the lavender with any sort of pesticide - just the occasional watering from the hose. Any idea of the cause?
(I can post a photo but it won’t be very illuminating, probably.)
You say dried up… but are you sure they’re dead? I picked a sunflower in the dark, took it inside and realized it was covered in “dead” bee. Shook it off outside and they groggily woke up.
If they’re still there tomorrow, I’ll check. Still weird that they’re all congregated on a single stem which appears to be just as dead as all the others.
After shaking the lavender quite a bit, none of the bees have moved at all. (They’re also not their usual bright yellow but more of a dull gray.) So I’m pretty sure they’re dead.
Is a spider using that cluster of flowers as a home? You sometimes see spiders that build their web and then sit off to the side under cover of leaves or flowers. When the web snares something, they wrap it up and carry it over to their hiding spot for consumption. I’ve sometimes seen multiple dead bugs hanging around.
Other than that… is your lavender planted over an Indian burial ground or ancient shrine?
