Male Leafcutter Bee
A fairly common bee in the Houston area is the leafcutter bee. These bees are smaller than honeybees, grey and black, and a little bit fuzzy. It’s easy to spot a female because the bright yellow pollen she collects from flowers is carried underneath her abdomen, not on her legs. Leafcutter bees use leaves from various plants, such as roses, to help seal their nest chambers (this keeps the larvae protected while they grow). If you notice semicircular patches missing from individual leaves in your garden, you probably have leafcutter bees around – but don’t worry, they don’t take much. You can even build a bee house to attract these and other kinds of fascinating bees: http://www.xerces.org/fact-sheets/
For more Bee-lieve it or Not facts, come join us in celebrating National Polinator Week on June 26th and 27th. We will have tables and chats from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. all about our favorite pollinators. Don’t forget to record your pollinating adventures in a nature blog to share at the Swap Shop!
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