Leafcutter Bees

Leafcutter Bees

The super-pollinators of summer! Leafcutter bees are perfect for mid-late season garden vegetablesand fruits, like apples, tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, and peas.

Learn how to create a safe nesting habitat and raise these bees in your backyard and

don't forget to sign up for BeeMail! We thoughtfully craft our BeeMail with seasonal reminders and tips to help you raise healthy, leafcutter bees! Click here to sign up and never worry about remembering when to do what again!

LEAFCUTTER BEE BEGINNER'S GUIDE

LEAFCUTTER BEE BEGINNER'S GUIDE

This guide covers the fundamental questions about leafcutter bees and provides step-by-step guidance to help you become a successful bee raiser.
LEAFCUTTER BEE VIDEO LIBRARY

LEAFCUTTER BEE VIDEO LIBRARY

We know that video is one of the best ways for visual learners to absorb information. Here you'll find our most popular videos about leafcutter bees!
LEAFCUTTER BEE CHARACTERISTICS AND IDENTIFICATION

LEAFCUTTER BEE CHARACTERISTICS AND IDENTIFICATION

Learn the common characteristics that the genus Megachile (leafcutter bees) share to help you pick out the leafcutter bees from the other insect pollinators in your yard and garden.
LEAFCUTTER BEE LIFE CYCLE

LEAFCUTTER BEE LIFE CYCLE

Leafcutter bees are only active in your garden for about 4-6 weeks, beginning in summer and spend the rest of their lives inside their nesting chambers. This guide is a seasonal look at a year in the life of a leafcutter bee!
LEAFCUTTER BEE RAISER CALENDAR

LEAFCUTTER BEE RAISER CALENDAR

Leafcutter bees overwinter as dormant, mature larvae and emerge once daily summer temperatures are a consistent 75°F/24°C or above. This calendar breaks down leafcutter bee raising tasks by season to ensure this guide is helpful no matter where you live!
INCUBATING LEAFCUTTER BEES

INCUBATING LEAFCUTTER BEES

Leafcutter bees need warm spring/summer temperatures to develop from larvae to adults. We call this process incubation. This guide walks you through the steps of incubating your own harvested leafcutter bee cocoons.
WHERE OUR LEAFCUTTER BEES COME FROM

WHERE OUR LEAFCUTTER BEES COME FROM

We take great pride in providing you with healthy leafcutter bees to give both you and the bees the best chance for success! We source our alfalfa leafcutter cocoons from Saskatchewan, Canada, to reduce the incidences of parasites and diseases.
PICKING YOUR LEAFCUTTER BEE SHIP DATE

PICKING YOUR LEAFCUTTER BEE SHIP DATE

Summer leafcutter bees overwinter as dormant, mature larvae ready to emerge when daytime temperatures reach a consistent 75°F/24°C and summer blooms are open. Use this guide to help you pick the best shipping date for your leafcutter bees.
LEAFCUTTER BEES BY MAIL INSTRUCTIONS

LEAFCUTTER BEES BY MAIL INSTRUCTIONS

Use this guide to learn what to do once your leafcutter bees arrive at your doorstep.
BEFORE YOU RELEASE LEAFCUTTER BEES

BEFORE YOU RELEASE LEAFCUTTER BEES

Releasing leafcutter bee cocoons means placing cocoons into your bee house so they can emerge and begin spring activities. Before you release your cocoons, you'll want to make sure your yard and garden are ready for these super summer pollinators!
PROVIDING LEAVES FOR LEAFCUTTER BEES

PROVIDING LEAVES FOR LEAFCUTTER BEES

There's a reason we call them leafcutter bees! Female leafcutter bees build the walls of their nesting chambers out of cut leaves and flower petals to give each egg a safe place to develop into an adult bee.
FALL: REMOVE, PROTECT, STORE

FALL: REMOVE, PROTECT, STORE

Leafcutter bees hibernate as delicate larvae inside of their leafy cocoons over the fall and winter. In the fall, you can remove and store the hibernating bees in a safe space, away from hungry predators.
PARASITES AND DISEASES OF LEAFCUTTER BEES

PARASITES AND DISEASES OF LEAFCUTTER BEES

Proper care can significantly reduce the incidences of pests, parasites, and diseases and allow managed bees to thrive. This article highlights the common enemies of leafcutter bees by season and methods for their control.
HARVESTING LEAFCUTTER BEE COCOONS

HARVESTING LEAFCUTTER BEE COCOONS

Learn the importance of harvesting cocoons, the best harvesting practices for our three different types of nesting materials (natural reeds, wood trays, and cardboard tubes), and how to store and incubate your leafcutter bee cocoons for healthy summer bees!
LEAFCUTTER BEE BASICS PPT

LEAFCUTTER BEE BASICS PPT

This PPT was created to help raise awareness and educate communities on the importance of leafcutter bees. It includes speaker notes to help you present with confidence. You can easily edit and tailor the presentation to meet the needs of your audience.