Megachile rotundata

The leaf cutter bee 🐝✂️🍃
Megachile rotundata is a solitary bee of the Megachilidae family, which includes bees called leafcutters and masons, because they build their nests in makeshift cavities: underground, in rock crevices, reeds, hollow stems and even shells 🐚.
The female of Megachile rotundata uses her strong jaws to cut pieces of leaves ✂️🍃 and petals which she uses to build the cells in which she lays her eggs.
She is a skilled pollinator 🐝🌸 of alfalfa, carrots, other vegetables and some fruits.
⁉️ Did you know? 😲
Megachile rotundata has been introduced as a pollinator and bred in many parts of the world to help farmers 🧑‍🌾.
Photo Graham Wise from Brisbane, Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons