Having seen andrenid and colletes bees in Larose several weeks ago, I've been checking the usual spots for andrenid bees at FWG, and yesterday was rewarded with the sight of dozens of these golden little bees. These are yet another group of solitary bees that nest underground and stock their nests with pollen balls. Although solitary, in that each female has a separate nest (rather than all nesting together as honey bees do, for example), they gather in large concentrations in appropriate spots. I was a bit worried that one area might be devoid of them this year, because big piles of vegetation and algae from the pond were dumped on their nest sites last year. However, they survived. Give these bees a break and be careful when walking on or working around, areas of exposed soil. These bees are also important pollinators, another reason to be kind to them!