Are these bees or somethng nasty

[partout]

Good morning,the outside stone walls of our house near Duras has been invaded (so to speak) by what look like bees, they are relatively small, their body is either a very dark brown/black and an orangey red bottom , they are in and out of the stone walls, only when the sun shines though, they do not appear to like the cool days or rain. Sorry no photograph, are they nasties we should be worried about  do you think?

 

[Clair]

[quote user="partout"]Good morning,the outside stone walls of our house near Duras has been invaded (so to speak) by what look like bees, they are relatively small, their body is either a very dark brown/black and an orangey red bottom , they are in and out of the stone walls, only when the sun shines though, they do not appear to like the cool days or rain. Sorry no photograph, are they nasties we should be worried about  do you think?[/quote]

Masonry or solitary bees?

If so, they are harmless.

[Tancrède]

[quote user="Clair"]If so, they are harmless.[/quote]

Absolutely.  And interesting.  Last year a masonry bee took advantage of an open window to construct, very rapidly, a tiny nest in a dowel-hole of my dining table;  they find ready-made cylindrical holes particularly attractive.

She carried on quite oblivious to my presence and I was able to observe the whole fascinating process extremely closely.  Having finally sealed the entrance with mud, she left.  The young emerged and departed a couple or three weeks later. 

Neither mother nor offspring caused the slightest nuisance.

[Bugsy]

http://www.bumblebee.org/lap.htm

Lovely creatures.

.