Bee Wolves Philanthus triangulum nesting on a Surrey Heath

As the British climate has warmed up during recent years Bee Wolves or Beekiller Wasps Philanthus triangulum have established breeding populations throughout much of the UK, having formerly been restricted to the south coast. These handsome digger wasps provide exclusively Honey Bees Apis mellifera as live food for their larvae. The bees are usually ambushed whilst feeding on flowers (often those of Hedera species), stung to induce paralysis and they are then slung upsidedown underneath the wasps and hel