Leafcutter bees, in the genus Megachile, are found across Australia.

Armed with powerful mandibles, also known as their jaws, females cut neat ovals from leaves — not to snack on, but to carry back between their legs to their nests.

Leafcutter bees nest in small cavities under bark, in old borer holes, in rock crevices or they may dig shallow burrows in soil using the leaf pieces to line and cap brood cells, a place where females lay their eggs.

You can support these hardworking pollinators by creating a bee hotel made of large bamboo canes and drilled hardwood to help them thrive year-round.