The leafcutter bee hatches from its cocoon

The leafcutter bee does not nest in hives and lives a solitary life, nesting in hollow twigs and earthworm burrows. The leaf-cutter bee uses the cut leaves to line and partition its nest, creating a distinctive cup-like structure in which it lays a single egg and stores food. The cup is sealed with ground-up or small plant fragments.

During its short life, each female is capable of producing between 20 and 40 offspring.