Clever Leaf Cutting Bees

The behavior of bees never ceases to amaze me.

While standing on our patio, waiting for monarchs and anise swallowtails to visit, I noticed movement on one of the tables with plant containers. A Leaf Cutting Bee Megachile perihirta slipped into one of the drainage holes of a smaller pot that contains a dried up thyme plant.

Apparently the bee found a great place to nest.

This particular drainage hole isn't as packed with soil as the others on the pot, so it must have ideal conditions for nesting.

I just waited patiently for the bee to exit to take the photo above.

I would never have guessed that a bee would make a nest in the dried up soil of the flower pot.

It's a good thing I saw the bee in action, because I would have emptied the pot this fall, since the thyme plant in it is dried up.

Guess we'll leave this one alone until late next spring, when the bee's children emerge.

Meanwhile another Leaf Cutting Bee Megachile fidelis is creating its nest in a space between hollow tiles that form a low wall along the boundary on one side of our backyard.

Exiting the space to find more nest material.