Blue Orchard Bee

Description:

Osmia lignaria, commonly known as the orchard mason bee or blue orchard bee,[1] is a megachilid bee that makes nests in reeds and natural holes, creating individual cells for their brood that are separated by mud dividers. Unlike carpenter bees, they cannot drill holes in wood. O. lignaria is a common species used for early spring fruit bloom in Canada and the United States, though a number of other Osmia species are cultured for use in pollination.