Bees!

Along Kings Barn Lane is an old willow tree with hawthorn growing around the base. I noticed a constant stream of bees going towards the tree and eventually picked out a hole where they were going in and out.

Inside the hole was too dark to see clearly so I pointed my camera into the hole and used the flash to capture a picture.

I couldn't see the result until I got home.

I was really surprised! There it is.

A nest of wild bees, hundreds of them! (Click the picture to see it enlarged.)

If you look closely you can see the hexagonal wax cells that they are working on.

Are these to contain honey or bee larvae?

Two close-ups below.