This is a
critter that has both positive and negative traits.
On the plus side, leaf cutter bees are considered an
important pollinator species for agricultural crops
like alfalfa and clover. The negative is that they
also chew circular notches on the edge of the leaves
of certain ornamental landscape plants such as
roses.
Leaf cutters
are related to
honeybees and have hairy bodies in
black, metallic blue, green or purple colors.They do
not eat the leaf material but, rather, they take it
to line their nest holes. After the eggs are laid,
they will use a leaf cut to plug up the cell to
protect them.
