Are cutter bees the same as mason bees? Cutter bees seem to be common around here. I've noticed the alfalfa growers use cutter bees while orchards are full of honey bees. Why would cutter bees or mason bees be preferred over honey bees?
sorry for the delay in my response. I just saw this question. Leaf cutters and mason bees are not the same. Leaf cutters look similar to honey bees in coloration, but about 1/3 the size. They cut leaves to build walls seperating the egg chambers, and work later in the year, such as on the alfalfa bloom. Mason bees (aka Orchard bees) are roughly the same size as honey bees, maybe a bit smaller, are furry and have a bluish-black or rusty appearance ('blue' bees in the west or 'red' bees in the east). Mason bees build mud walls between egg cells and work earlier blooms, such as dandelion, cherry, and other fruits and early wildflowers. The California almond orchards also use mason bees with some good results.
IME, mason bees have a narrower window of productive pollination than the leaf cutters, but each has their own window of productivity, whereas honey bees are pollinators throughout the growing year.
Topic: Greetings from Salt Lake county (Read 2191 times)