Leafcutting Bees

Family Megachilidae

Coelioxys dubiata. Photo:Stephanie Boucher

Most species feed on pollen, but a few species are parasitic. This is a large worldwide family. In many species the nest cells are lined with pieces cut from leaves. The cell partitions are made of mud, resin, or leaf pulp. Nests are usually made natural cavities in wood or in the ground. Some leafcutter bees are beneficial pollinators of crops. Leafcutting bees are stout-bodied, with a large head and wide mandibles. They are usually dark-coloured. They are distinguished from other bees by differences in the wing venation.