The leafcutting bee (Megachile latimanus) is a common and widespread solitary bee found between May and October in dry areas of savannas, grasslands, and agricultural fields. It has a stout, entirely black body densely covered with mostly pale yellow and black hairs. Unlike most bees the pollen-collecting hairs on leafcutting bees are on the underside of the abdomen, not on the legs.

Photo by Bill Reynolds

This bee gets its common name from the nest-building female. She uses her enlarged, scissor-like mandibles to cut disks from leaves and uses the disks to create individual nests for her eggs.