#i ran out of spoons for today
Little leaf cutter bee waking up in her tiny leaf bed
(Via)
Rating:UNCLEAR
Leaf cutter bees build brood cells for their larvae in clay, wood, rock crevices, or holes left by other animals (depending on the species of leaf cutter). They line these holes with leaves to create a protective chamber for their larvae, which they then fill with pollen for them to eat. When these brood chambers are disturbed (for example when they’re removed from the hole they were built within), the larvae can die.
It’s unknown why these cells have been removed. If they were removed accidentally during yard work, and the person behind the video decided to incubate them, then the video could be rated “cute.” However, if they were removed on purpose and the person behind the video has no experience keeping or studying these bees, it would be “not cute.”
I’m particularly concerned because one entomologist/beekeeper suggested the larva in the bottom brood chamber died, judging by the crudely opened chamber and all the uneaten pollen spilling out. I’m not experienced enough with Megachilebees to say whether this is true or not.
From what I’m reading online its actually pretty common for gardeners to raise leafcutter bees and one step of the process to keeping a healthy population in your garden is to “harvest” the cocoons in the late stages of development. Keepers do this to take a count of their emerging bees, protect them from predators like parasitic wasps, remove parasite infested cocoons before they have time to spread to the other cocoons, and check for harmful bacteria growth again, before it spreads to the other cocoons.
I couldn’t find a source other than reddit for this particular video but it seems like common practice to remove the cocoons from the nesting material. Maybe I’m wrong and there is just a predatory market for bad faith bee keeping (which is absolutely 100% possible. Ive seen it with other insect “hatcheries”) so if someone has more knowledge then PLEASE correct me.
