Leafcutter Bees – Megachile spp.

Leafcutter Bees   Family: Megachilidae Common Name: Mason bees, leafcutter bees, wool carder bee Appearance: Leafcutter bees are small bees, 15-25mm in size. They are black with a light-colored abdomen. Instead of pollen baskets on hind limbs, female leafcutter bees have hairs on their abdomen called “Pollen brush” for collecting pollen. The males have a somewhat rounded abdomen without a pollen brush. Host Plants or Food: They use flowers to feed on pollen and nectar. However, for nest building, they prefer plants with soft petals and leaves, such as those of fruits and vegetables. Territory: Throughout the world but are more common in North America Mode of Damage:  They are considered leaf chewers since they cut spheres from the leaves to make their own nest. However, these bees also help in pollination, so they can be considered beneficial garden insects as well. Habits and Life History: Leafcutter bees do not live in colonies and are considered solitary bees since they do all the work themselves. Female leafcutter bees have an average age of 2months in which they lay 35 to 40 eggs. After mating, the female leafcutter bee digs a hole in the ground or finds a cavity to make its nest. They also line the cavity with circular leaf fragments they cut from nearby plants. A single nest may have multiple, one-inch cells in which the female deposits one egg each and some pollen for the larva. The larva hatch from the egg and feed on the pollen until it becomes an adult, after which it leaves the nest to continue the cycle.