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Shropshire Invertebrates Group - Invertebrates of Shropshire
Lazy Carpenter Bee Chelostoma florisomne - a solitary bee

This slender bodied solitary bee is sometimes known as the "Lazy Carpenter Bee", on account of the male's habit of curling up overnight in buttercup flowers. Chelostoma florisomne is an uncommon bee in the United Kingdom, but appears to be reasonably frequent in Shropshire. This one was photographed in a woodland glade near Cound. It has also been recorded at the SIG Hookagate field meeting on 29 May 2005.

C florisomne nests in holes in timber, usually using beetle borings in standing dead wood. The bee is strongly associated with buttercups. The specimen in the photo is a female, speckled with yellow buttercup pollen.