Reportedly they have a sting that is milder than other bees and wasps have. You would have to step on or grab her to be stung.

They've always been rather shy and retiring in my yard so I think you'd really have to do something to provoke them to sting. Have they picked out one bush in particular? It seems every year I get one bush that has lots of the circles and then rest seem just fine. Probably the one closest to the nest but every year it's a different bush, lol!

They seem to like the tender leaves best. Marie Daly, Caldwell Pink, Mrs. Dudley Cross and Ducher are their targets right now. I rearranged pots today so all four are close together and they are staying with them and not in the rest of the garden. Just in case I take my epipen outside with me but they've shown no aggressive tendencies at all even when I moved the pots.

The question of do leaf cutter bees sting has been answered. Until today there would be 8-10 swarming around while I was out in and among the roses. This morning there were about 50 flying around and when I started watering they started getting a little anxious. Before I knew it one flew into my arm and I felt a sting. Yep, started whelping up and I started having a reaction. Out came the Epi Pen followed by prescription steroid. Grandson came over this afternoon and found where they had built three nests so he dug them out and took them down. Hopefully without their nests they will move on. Not sure what I'll do if they don't.

I'll have to see if I can get them out of the trash tomorrow for a picture. We have a teak patio table and teak chairs that are small slats laid in a board on board pattern. The had layered tubes attached to the small slats. They kind of looked like mini cigars. In one place there were about 8 attached side to side in the cavity between boards, then in another about 15 while the third only had 3 together. He had to look real hard to find them because we weren't looking for something that looked like that.

They can hang out and build nests and pollinate all they want I just can't have them nesting on and around the patio table or chairs. After some research we may have to look at building them some nesting locations and hang them from the eaves of the house.