Europe PMC · 2026-03-11
Leafcutter bees, important wild pollinators, rely on specific plant leaves to build their nests — but we know surprisingly little about which plants they prefer and why. This review identifies that gap and calls for more research into the chemical and sensory cues bees use when choosing leaves, which could help gardeners and farmers support these bees more effectively.
Leafcutter bees are the first successfully managed solitary bees, yet the plant leaf sources they depend on for nesting remain poorly understood compared to their floral nutrient sources.
Research on leaf selection by leafcutter bees is geographically concentrated in North America and India, leaving large global knowledge gaps about which plant species are used elsewhere.
Chemical, molecular, microbial, and biochemical properties of leaves likely drive foraging decisions, and understanding these mechanisms could enable farmers to actively provision suitable leaf-source plants in agricultural landscapes.