Leaf-cutter Bee (genus Megachile) Campaign

The Leaf-cutter Bee (genus Megachile) Campaign (2013) is dedicated to leafcutting bees living in the pollinator nesting sites in my yard. Using their strong mandibles (mouth parts), these bees meticulously cut circles out of tender leaves from various plants. The circles vary in shape and are not always perfectly round. The female leaf-cutter bee creates a nest in small cavities, such as in plant stems. The bee covers the interior of the hollow stem with circular-shaped leaves, forming a protective layer for an egg. After collecting pollen on the underside of her abdomen, she places the small pollen ball, along with a single egg, in a cell created in the plant stem. Leafcutting bees are solitary insects and essential pollinators for many flowering plants. They are gentle insects and the circular patterns they cut out of the leaves do not hurt the plants. The photographs in this series were made as a collaboration with the leaf-cutter bees. Upon collecting the leaves, they were pressed and dried to make a collage.

A photographic collage made with leaves with circular patterns cut out by leaf-cutter bees (genus Megachile), a native bee in the United States.
Native bee and solitary wasp nesting site with bamboo. Leaf-cutter bees sealed off the end of the bamboo with circular patterns cut out of leaves.
Collage made with leaves with circular patterns cut out by leaf-cutter bees (genus Megachile), a native bee in the United States.

While in your garden or on a walk, take time to observe your surroundings and search for evidence of leaf-cutter bees. You can learn to identify them by the particular sound they make when they fly.

Collage made with leaves with circular patterns cut out by leaf-cutter bees (genus Megachile), a native bee in the United States.
Native bee and solitary wasp nesting site with bamboo. Leaf-cutter bees sealed off the end of the bamboo with circular patterns cut out of leaves.