User:Gene-va/In Progress/California Leafcutting Bee

The California Leafcutting Bee is a bee in the Trachusa genus that - as it's name suggest - found only in California. The California Leafcutting Bee inhabits semiarid hillsides with shrubbery or tall grass growth. The bee is dark grey with white bands of hairs on it's abdomen. It's Pollen basket is located under it's abdomen, and the bee grows from one-half inch to three-eighthes of an inch. Like most bees, the California Leafcutting Bee feeds on nectar - only the larva of this species feed on pollen.

California Leafcutting Bee nests are made when Female bees burrow diagonal tunnels into hillsides, which branch off into the individual brood cells. Each brood cell is a small cell lined by leaves and provisioned with nectar and pollen. Once the cell is provisioned with the nectar and pollen, an egg is placed in the cell - were the bee will grow. California Leafcutting Bee nests are lined only with the leaves of the Buckthorn Shrub.

The only other 'known' North American bee in this genus occurs in California as well.