Pest profile

Leafcutter Bees

Megachile species · Hymenoptera: Megachilidae[4]

Neat circles cut from the edges of rose leaves are the work of leafcutter bees. These solitary pollinators use the pieces to build nests and don't eat leaves.[1][2]

Leafcutter bee, a stout dark bee with pale hair bands across its abdomen, feeding on small white flowers
Leafcutter bee, a stout dark bee with pale hair bands across its abdomen, feeding on small white flowers. (c) Amy Schnebelin, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • Adults are stout, very hairy, gray to black bees with pale hair bands across the abdomen, up to about 1/2 inch long.[1][3]
  • Females carry pollen on dense hairs under the abdomen, which then looks light yellow to gold.[1][2]
  • The sign you're most likely to notice is circular or semicircular notches about 1/4 to 1/2 inch across, cut from leaf or petal edges.[2][1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Honey beeHoney bees carry pollen on their hind legs; leafcutter bees carry it on the underside of the abdomen.[1]
Mason beesMason bees in the related genus Osmia are mostly metallic blue or green and line nests with chewed leaf pulp, mud or sand.[1]

Where it lives

Leafcutter bees are common in North America; California has at least 75 Megachile species and Florida about 63 leafcutting bee species.[2][1]

US map: public records from 51 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Females nest in holes in wood, hollow stems and other cavities, making a row of leaf-lined cells.[1][2]

Each cell gets a ball of pollen and nectar and one egg; the larva eats the food and spins a cocoon.[1][2]

Most have one generation a year, and adults are active in spring and early summer.[1]

They're solitary bees and don't defend nests the way honey bees or bumble bees do.[2]

Damage and signs

  • They cut roses, azaleas, ash, redbud, lilac, bougainvillea and other plants with thin, smooth leaves.[2][3]
  • The cuts can spoil a plant's look, but they rarely harm it.[2][1]

Health risk

They sting only if handled, and UF describes the sting as far less painful than a honey bee's.[2]

Control

Prevention

Insecticides usually don't stop the cutting, because the bees don't eat the leaves, and these pollinators shouldn't be killed.[2][1]

Keep them out

Seal pruned rose cane ends with wax or a few drops of white glue, and fill holes 1/8 to 7/8 inch wide in soft wood.[1]

Traps and physical control

Cover a favorite small plant with cheesecloth or screening when cutting starts, and remove it by about midsummer.[1][2]

Common questions

What's cutting perfect circles out of my rose leaves?
Almost certainly leafcutter bees. They carry the pieces off to build nest cells and don't feed on the leaves.[1][2]
Should I spray them?
No. Sprays rarely stop the cutting, the damage is cosmetic, and the bees are valuable pollinators.[2][3]
Do leafcutter bees sting?
Only when handled, and the sting is much milder than a honey bee's.[2]

Sources

  1. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Leafcutting bees (Pest Notes for home and landscape).” ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/INVERT/leafcutbes.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. University of Florida IFAS Extension, “Leafcutting Bees, Megachilidae (EENY-342).” edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN619 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. University of Minnesota Extension, “Leaf-cutter bees (What insect is this?).” apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/insect/garden/flies/medium/leafcutterbee.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. iNaturalist, “Megachile taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/52784 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-14. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.