Megachile spp.

Photo Credit: © Marcello Consolo via iNaturalist.org. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.
Megachile spp.
Common Name: leafcutter bee
Animal Guild: Insect
Class > Order > Family: Insecta > Hymenoptera > Megachilidae
Where is the species found?
States & Provinces
AB, AK, AL, AR, AZ, BC, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MB, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NB, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NL, NM, NS, NT, NU, NV, NY, OH, OK, ON, OR, PA, PE, QC, RI, SC, SD, SK, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY, YT
Which phenophases should I observe?
Do you see/hear...?
Activity Adults
One or more adults are seen or heard moving about or at rest.
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For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Male adults
One or more adult males are seen moving about or at rest. For Megachile spp., males are often smaller than females and emerge earlier in spring, waiting near nests for females to emerge. They are short-lived and die after mating.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Flower visitation
One or more individuals are seen visiting flowers or flying from flower to flower. If possible, record the name of the plant or describe it in the comments field.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Reproduction Mating
A male and female are seen coupled in a mating position, usually with the male on top of the female.

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Nest building
One or more adults are seen building a nest or hive. For Megachile spp., solitary females construct nests in narrow holes, hollow stems, or small burrows in the ground by entering to deposit pollen or nectar, laying eggs, and then plugging the cavity with neatly cut pieces of leaves or dry plant material. This phenophase also includes leaf cutting activity away from the nest.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Development Dead adults
One or more dead adults are seen.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Method Individuals in a trap
One or more individuals are seen caught in a trap.

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What do these phenophases look like?

There is currently no photoguide available for this species. If you'd like help us create one, use the guidance document and species template provided here. Then send it via email to education@usanpn.org when it is complete.