Small Scissor Bee

Often called the "Small Bellflower Resin Bee," this tiny pollinator is a dedicated specialist of the Campanula genus. It is so small it can easily be mistaken for a flying ant or a small midge at first glance. These bees are charming garden guests that have evolved a unique, "sleepy" lifestyle centered entirely around bell-shaped flowers.

🔍 How to Identify

• 📏 Diminutive Size: Measuring only about 4–6 mm, these are among the smallest bees you’ll encounter in a garden—about the size of a grain of rice.
• 🖤 Sleek Profile: They possess a very narrow, cylindrical black body that is much more slender than a typical honeybee or bumblebee.
• ⚪ Pollen Scopa: If you look closely at a female, you’ll see a brush of white hairs on the underside of her abdomen (rather than her legs) used for carrying pollen.

🌲 Habitat & Ecology

• 🌸 Bellflower Specialist: These bees are "oligolectic," meaning they are picky eaters. They almost exclusively visit bellflowers (Campanula) and harebells. Without these specific flowers, they cannot survive.
• 🏠 The Resin Mason: They don't dig burrows. Instead, they nest in tiny pre-existing holes in dead wood or hollow stems, sealing their larval chambers with a specialized mixture of plant resin and small sand grains.
• 💤 Floral Hotels: On cloudy days or at night, you can often find the males curled up inside the bells of flowers, using the petals as a cozy, waterproof sleeping bag.

⚠️ Safety & Toxicity

• 🐝 Perfectly Harmless: The Small Bellflower Resin Bee is a solitary species, meaning it has no hive or queen to defend. They are incredibly docile and show zero aggression toward humans or pets.
• 🛡️ Minimal Sting: While females technically possess a stinger, it is far too small to pierce human skin under normal circumstances. They are completely safe to observe closely as they forage.

✨ Fun Fact

Male Bellflower Bees are famous for their "communal sleepovers." It’s common to find three or four males hunkered down inside a single Campanula flower together, waiting for the sun to warm them up for the next day's work!