I wonder if anybody can help me with answers to a few insect questions. About six weeks ago my wife and I noticed flying insects repeatedly entering and leaving a hole in our slabbed footpath (see Photo one). This was next to were the old root system of a monkey puzzle tree used to be until I removed it 20 years ago. Both my wife and I were convinced that they were bees (see photo 2 & 3) but having rung the pest control were told that they could not be because they don’t nest in the ground. About 2 week ago we then noticed a new insect entering and leaving the hole at the same time as the first (see photo 4). This seems to resemble a hover fly but with orange antennae which now also swarms in some numbers around hole and, while obviously wary of the first insect, seems to enter the hole with relative impunity. My Questions are therefore – 1) Can anybody confirm the identity of the first insect? 2) Can anybody confirm the identity of the Second insect and what is it doing in the hole with insect 1? 3) If insect is a bee, do I need to be concerned for my children seeing as recently a beekeeper was stung to death not far from where we live in Leicester, UK?