# What bee would this be?



## Ben Franklin (May 3, 2011)

As you totally sure its a honey bee??


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## Texnana (Apr 22, 2011)

No, sorry, Mr. Franklin, I should have been clearer. It was certainly not a honey bee. This bee was about a third smaller than my Bee Weaver hybrids, and dark, with no stripes. I've looked up mason bees and leaf cutter bees, but neither of these seem to be what I saw.


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## Ben Franklin (May 3, 2011)

No Problem,,,I just can not think of what it is,,I just know it's not a honey bee.


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## hedges (May 18, 2013)

http://www.thefeaturedcreature.com/2010/10/bee-utiful-rare-solitary-bee-makes-its.html

This.


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## SimonB (Apr 1, 2013)

Hedges' link above looks similar to the leaf cutter bees we get here. Very similar colour and pattern. The leaf cutter bees like rose leaves apparently, along with a few other plants. They cut nice little circles out of the rose leaf and use the pieces to build thier nest (hive?). I haven't ever seen any of their homes, but now I have some idea what one might be like. The leaf cutter bees are similar size to honey bees, but they make a different sound, sort of more like a blow fly than a honey bee. Very interesting!
Simon


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## ElBee (Dec 29, 2013)

Texnana said:


> Yesterday, after working my two hives, I was watering plants on my patio, when out of the corner of my eye I saw what I thought was one of my honey bees with a huge load of white pollen. When I could finally step back far enough to focus on her, what I saw was a small bee carrying a rolled up piece of flower petal. She carried it head first into the throat of a scarlet mandevilla, unfurled it, and spent a minute or so tacking it down, then flew off. Within a very short time she was back with another, then another, and another. I think she probably brought in six or seven bits of some white petal before she climbed into her flowery bower, and rolled herself tightly round with her covers. I've never seen any thing like it and have been unsuccessful at finding out what kind of bee she might be. Any ideas?


Howdy, your bee is likely one from the family Megachilidae, and possibly in the genus _Megachile_ or _Anthidium_ however it may be from another member of this family. Determining the species from your observation is near to impossible, but rejoice in your unique experience.

Cheers


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