What kind of bee is this???

[ManitobaBeekeeper]

Hi all, I could really use some sage, scholarly advise... we have this wierd feral bee (?) around and I'm dying to know what kind it is. It seems to have some good foraging habits, with little hovering between flowers, and making short work of the flowers it lands on. Anybody able to help? (See Pictures at:

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1895350)

Thanks

[Scut Farkas]

Mason Bee?

Hit the link http://www.pollinatorparadise.com/Solitary_Bees/IMAGES_SB/BlueOrchardBee.jpg

[Michael Bush]

Leafcutter bee.

[ManitobaBeekeeper]

Thanks, Michael... curiosity has killed the cat -- and satisfaction has brought it back lol. I didn't know that leafcutter bees were interested in anything but leaves ... otherwise I might have suspected it -- I did notice that they didn't seem to carry pollen. Thanks again!