Leafcutter Bee
Physical Features
Another native bee, the leaf cutter is ¼ inch to ¾ inch long metallic or dark colored bee. Carry pollen in a pouch called a scopula located on the abdomen underside.
Life Cycle
Complete Metamorphosis
Leafcutters are solitary bees where the female takes care of all the work unlike behavior of colony bees that are assigned a role per caste. The female lays 35-40 eggs at a time inside nests created from leaves. They are filled with nectar and pollen for the larva to feed once hatched. Pupation occurs over the winter with the adults beginning to emerge in spring and living up to two months.
Habits
- Diet: Adult feed on flower nectar.
- Activity: Spring and summer.
- Preferred Climate: Warm.
- Defense: Sting.
- Cautions: Sting only when provoked or handled.
- Home Invasion: Will excavate holes in soft wood or plant stems for a harborage point. They will cut leaves making a smooth ¾ inch semicircular cut at the edge of leaves. This can be damaging to yard vegetation especially leaves of rose, green ash, and lilac. These are not eaten but are used to form around a dozen nests inside holes. Do not cause harm to structures.
Helpful Hints for Control
- Cover plants with loose netting when leafcutters are found to be active.
- Remove host plants.
- Place white glue on tips of recently pruned roses.
Interesting Fact
Velvet ants and certain blister beetles are among the list of predators of the leafcutter bee.
Symptoms
Bee stings can produce different reactions, ranging from temporary pain and discomfort to a severe allergic reaction. Having one type of reaction doesn’t mean you’ll always have the same reaction every time you’re stung. Bee stings are minor and usually include an instant, sharp pain at the sting site. A small, white spot where the stinger punctured the skin will appear with slight swelling around the area. In most cases, the pain will disappear within a few hours. Sometimes anaphylaxis can occur, which is a severe allergic reaction. This includes hives, pale skin, difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat and tongue, a weak and rapid pulse, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
