I keep European Leafcutter bees in my yard. They're an introduced (non-invasive) species, which can help your local ecosystem by pollinating and encouraging biodiversity.
Richard Lydekker - Lydekker, R. 1879 The Royal Natural History. Volume 6. Frederick Warne and Co. page 36
Leafcutters are solitary bees, meaning they don't live in colonies like honeybees or bumblebees. Instead, each bee lives independently, and works to collect pollen or build a home for its young. I provide a bee house for my bees, though to them, it's more of an apartment complex than a hive.
Female leafcutters possess stingers, but rarely ever use them. To a human, the sting is much more mild than that of a honeybee or wasp (except for folks who are allergic!) Most leafcutters can be handled without protective gear if treated gently, and for a brief time.
A leafcutter's life span is very short, usually only a few weeks to a few months. In this time, however, they do a great deal; building a home, mating, and pollenating.
Female leafcutters possess stingers, but rarely ever use them. To a human, the sting is much more mild than that of a honeybee or wasp (except for folks who are allergic!) Most leafcutters can be handled without protective gear if treated gently, and for a brief time.
A leafcutter's life span is very short, usually only a few weeks to a few months. In this time, however, they do a great deal; building a home, mating, and pollenating.
Bees are cold-blooded, and leafcutter cocoons remain dormant during the winter and early spring, until the temperature is consistently at or above about 70°F. Upon hatching, male bees begin searching for a mate, and females begin constructing a nest and finding food.
Like most species, the women do most of the actual work. Male bees spend their lives eating, mating a few times, and then dying.
A female leafcutter begins by finding a suitable hole for their nest. Instead of burrowing or boring, leafcutters make use of openings that already exist (which makes them nice to keep in your garden, since they won't damage your house.)
She will then fly to different plants, using her mandibles to cut out a small circle from a leaf, about the size of a hole punch. She then rolls it up like a tiny burrito, and carries it back to the nest, placing it as a lining in the hole.
She repeats this process until the hole is essentially wallpapered with leaves, and begins laying eggs in series, starting at the back of the hole. The method of reproduction allows the female to favor one sex over another, calculating the likelihood of survival, and accounting for particular needs around productivity or reproduction. The eggs remain dormant until the following spring.
The eggs then develop and hatch in order of their placement in the nest, starting with the one nearest the opening. Inside their leaf-cocoons, the larvae eat the pollen and nectar provided by the mother until they're ready to emerge.
Like most species, the women do most of the actual work. Male bees spend their lives eating, mating a few times, and then dying.
A female leafcutter begins by finding a suitable hole for their nest. Instead of burrowing or boring, leafcutters make use of openings that already exist (which makes them nice to keep in your garden, since they won't damage your house.)
She will then fly to different plants, using her mandibles to cut out a small circle from a leaf, about the size of a hole punch. She then rolls it up like a tiny burrito, and carries it back to the nest, placing it as a lining in the hole.
She repeats this process until the hole is essentially wallpapered with leaves, and begins laying eggs in series, starting at the back of the hole. The method of reproduction allows the female to favor one sex over another, calculating the likelihood of survival, and accounting for particular needs around productivity or reproduction. The eggs remain dormant until the following spring.
The eggs then develop and hatch in order of their placement in the nest, starting with the one nearest the opening. Inside their leaf-cocoons, the larvae eat the pollen and nectar provided by the mother until they're ready to emerge.
