Species Megachile inermis
A good way to remember the name of this species is to remember that it has an inermis (enormous) head. The big cheeks
house the large jaws that they use for leaf cutting. The third photo below shows the little circles they leave in leaves. They
use the leaf circles to build the individual cells for their nests. There's a source of information here about this species.
I found this bee at Rock Cliff Recreation Area in Wasatch County, Utah. This area is right on Jordanelle Reservoir
and is filled with all kinds of birds, animals and insects. It is a great place to visit and it has some nice campgrounds
and even nicer tenting areas. It also has been known to have many mosquitoes, although Utah has done very well
in the past few years with their mosquito abatement program (because of West Nile). © Carol Davis 7-29-07
I always thought these leaves on my rose bush were being cut by grasshoppers
until I saw a leafcutter bee come in, quickly cut out a circle and scram.
I stood in awe at how swiftly it made the cut. I wonder if this spider preys on
leafcutting bees? The cuts in this photo are old. © Carol Davis, 7-8-2009
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