Near where I put my Honey Bee hives there is a dead tree. As I go to inspect the hives I pass the tree and I notice that it is full of a small bee that looks a little like a honey bee and I wondered what they were.
I discovered that the bees that were living in the rotted tree were Leaf Cutter bees.
Leaf cutter bees have a very mild sting. They live in rotted wood. They do not produce honey. They do not live in colonies with a queen. They are a very important pollinating insect. They do not damage the wood of houses.
They cut leaves from some plants in order to make little nests where they keep pollen. The cuts generally are cosmetic and don’t damage plants.
Leaf Cutter Bees are a very good thing and you should not try to get rid of them if you are lucky enough to have some living nearby.
