Leafcutter Bees

I'm back from vacationing with my family and we had a wonderful time.  We spent the last two weeks of summer in Florida.   Even though people are back at work and school has started again. I am not quite ready to give up the season of summer.  This week's blog is about Leafcutter bees. I've had this photo in my archives for a few weeks and thought that it would be a good one to share in the spirit of keeping  the summer season alive.  Here are a  few facts about Leafcutter Bees.

·         They like to build their nest in soft rotting wood or already existing cavities found in stems such as those of a rose bush.

·         They are solitary, meaning they don't share a hive with other bees.

·         They are great pollinators.  In fact, one leafcutter bee can do the job of about twenty honey bees.  Now, that's what I call hauling butt.

·         Ever wonder how  those smooth circular holes in leaves of certain plants get there?  If you said a hole puncher, not quite. Those holes come from the Leafcutter Bees. They do this for nesting purposes. They take the circular leaves and glue them together with their saliva and create individual cells for their larvae. 

  I am grateful to have seen up close and personal the many small wonders of this world that God has created.  This summer season was one of my favorite. I hate to see it go. However, I believe this fall season will  bring some beautiful camera moments as well and I look forward to sharing them with you :o)