Id please bee family!!!

[counterlady]

Hi
This might be hard but can anyone identify the insect in this photo (sorry taken on my old mobile)
This plant pot might look a little odd but I decided to let it grow wild over the last couple of summers to see what happened. I kinda like it - its got lots of various types of moss etc.

Anyway this insect I think from the bee family has decided to nest in it. In the photo it is carrying what I can only describe as a leaf. It goes to the bottom of the pot and comes back out after about 1 min empty handed.

I find this very odd - it appears to be doing this all by itself. Why does it want to nest in a pot what about when it rains!!!

Any help anyone.
C

[eucera]

It's a leaf-cutter bee (genus Megachile). Plant pots are regular nesting sites for M. willugbiella

[counterlady]

Originally Posted by eucera

It's a leaf-cutter bee (genus Megachile). Plant pots are regular nesting sites for M. willugbiella

Thanks Eucera. Just been watchin for the last hour there are two of them i presume male and female. Very active. I've also just read up on them - amazing creature. It did say that one of its enemies are wasps there are wasps hanging around the bench where the pot is frequently - what can a wasp do to this bee!! There was no explanation as to why wasps are an enemy!!!

[counterlady]

I've found the bush that the leaf cutter bees are using - dont even know what type of bush it is. Its amazing how they cut so perfectly