Description
By Dr. Jonathan L. Larson; Nebraska Extension
QUICK FACTS
- Leafcutter bees are important pollinators that are members of the family Megachilidae. They tend to be stout-bodied, dark in color, and have pollen collecting hairs on their “belly”
- They visit many crops including alfalfa, blueberries, cherries, almonds, onions, carrots and dozens of different wildflowers
- Leafcutter bees pose little sting hazard in comparison to the honey bee or even Beedrill and even though they can cosmetically damage some plants it is best not to use insecticides against them
The most famous of all pollinators are the honey bees but it is important to remember that there are over 5,000 different species of native bees that are also key pollinating species. Within this 5,000 species there are several different families of insects represented. There are smaller bees such as the Andrenidae or mining bees, larger more metallic bees like the Halictidae or sweat bees, the famous Apidae which covers honey and bumble bees, and then the Megachilidae which are commonly known as leafcutter and mason bees. While mason bees are just as helpful as their leafcutting cousins, more people are familiar with the leafcutters due to their propensity to interact with our plants.
Complete article about Leafcutter bees are provide in link below.
Management
Additional Resources
