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Megachile
Leafcutter bees, Leafcutting bees, Resin bees, Mortar bees
Megachile is a large, cosmopolitan genus of solitary bees in the family Megachilidae, comprising over 1,500 described species across more than 50 subgenera. The genus includes the commercially important alfalfa leafcutter bee (M. rotundata), managed globally for crop pollination. Species exhibit diverse nesting strategies: many cut circular leaf or petal pieces to line nest cells, while others use plant resin or mortar-like materials. The genus contains the world's largest bee, M. pluto (Wallace's Giant Bee), with a wingspan exceeding 6 cm.