The poop on pollinators

Leafcutter Bees

Emerging in summer, leafcutter bees are excellent pollinators. Pollen is collected on special hairs on the abdomen (called scopa). The bees “belly flop” onto flowers, which easily spreads the pollen from flower to flower.
 

Known as nature’s hole punch, female leafcutter bees cut circles from leaves of rose, hosta and pea-family plants to line their nest hole.
 

Leafcutters nest in cavities, provisioning each leaf-wrapped cell with a pollen & nectar ball on which one egg is laid.

 

 

 

Male leafcutters have green eyes (pictured at right). Females have black eyes and shorter antennae than males.