#leafcutterbee

© Peter Arkle 41-2020  LEAFCUTTER BEE

A leafcutter bee accessing the upside-down bloom of a borage flower. Beautiful flowers borage has that unfortunately get overlooked when the plant is at a distance. Bees don’t overlook them though. ~~~~~~~~~~~#boragoofficinalis #borage #leafcutterbee #megachile https://www.instagram.com/p/BnAFcnAn_A9/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=mxc08qo5l1u

Megachile pugnata - the pugnacious leafcutter bee, on Malva moschata. A new feature for Bee Safari! And...those mandibles, oh my...a large leafcutter, but not as large as Megachile pluto (worth looking up). Not particularly pugnacious in my observations, but not to say she isn’t. For me she just gleefully rolled around in the Malva pollen (look closely) as most any bee would. Thanks to John Ascher at bugguide.net for the bee ID and @ribeswrench for the plant ID. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~#megachilepugnata #leafcutterbee #malvamoschata #muskmallow https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmr9A_oHzZJ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ya3po9vf6h58

Faithful leafcutter bee (Megachile fidelis) and a fellow flower friend, a tiny beetle of sorts, visit a seaside daisy (Erigeron glaucus). The world of beetles! Gazillions of species in every size shape, color and job description - many doing an awful lot of pollinating. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~#beetlepollinators #megachilefidelis #erigeronglaucus #seasidedaisy #leafcutterbee https://www.instagram.com/p/BoCSHTvhXaB/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1rc2bjc5w8v5b

My garden’s little flower monster, a male Megachile perihirta, aka western leafcutter bee. They are chunky, hairy, loud and aggressive to other bees, but oh so endearing to the gardener who takes notice of their antics. Seen here on a Gaillardia flower.~~~~~~~~~~~#megachileperihirta #gaillardia #leafcutterbee

Megachile fidelis, the faithful leafcutter bee. I wish I knew what was behind the name of this species. At a glance it seems no more or less faithful than any other leafcutter bee. Unfortunately information like that about native bees is difficult at best to find. That is changing though. ~~~~~~~~~~~~#megachilefidelis #leafcutterbee #erigeronglaucus #bees #bugs #insects #macro #canonmacro #insects_of_our_world #mat_macro #kings_insects #found_on_flowers #macro_freaks #top_macro #macroclique #tgif_insects #macro_kings #photooftheday #beesofinstagram #pocket_insects #macro_brilliance #macro_perfection #top_macro #macro_highlight #macro_spotlight #electric_macro #igmw_macro #mat_macro_bees #onceupon_a_macro https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmi46JNH0JH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vs105dbrd3ls