A regular visitor

A very persistent bee has been making its presence felt as I've sat in the shade outside my back door in the afternoons over the past few days, due to its energetic buzzing and fondness for a patch of lamb's ear ((Stachys byzantina). This afternoon I finally looked it up and discovered it to be a male wool carder bee. I'd not heard of these before, but they are a solitary bee of which the female builds nests out of fibres from Lamb's ear and similar plants (also explaining the bare patches one sees on them), and the males defend territories of suitable plants to fend off the competition for potential mates. I've got to admit that the persistent buzzing of its flight is quite annoying, but since it is also pretty, interesting, and has no sting, I will let it pass!

Male:

Watch on YouTube

Female:

Watch on YouTube