Buzzworthy Facts:
- Leafcutter bees have sharp jaws like tiny scissors to cut perfect circles out of leaves and flower petals.
- Most leafcutter bees are between 4 and 10 mm long, roughly the size of a green pea, with females growing larger than males. By contrast, mason bees can be up to 20 mm long.
- To keep cozy, they roll the leaf pieces into tiny tubes inside holes in wood or stems to create safe nests for their eggs.
- If you see a leaf with a perfect, smooth crescent or circle cut out of the edge, a bee artist has visited your yard!
- Even though leafcutter bees cut out pieces of leaves, they never take enough to make the plant sick or stop growing.
- Every leafcutter Mom Bee builds her very own nest all by herself.
- These bees are incredibly gentle, and only sting if they are trapped or squished, and their sting feels like a tiny tickle.
- Unlike honey bees, who pack pollen on their legs, leafcutter bees scoop it up on their extra-hairy tummies!
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High Desert Helpers is sponsored through the Trails+ Grant Program by the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division.
