Crosswinds Marsh Nature fest 2021 Series
Nature Fest is a nature-oriented event that featured live entertainment, nature crafts, and games, face painting, and free canoeing. This cache is one of a series of 12 geocaches, launched the day after Nature Fest, with each one featuring a pollinator that might be found in Crosswinds Marsh Nature Preserve.
CMM02 - Leafcutter Bees
Approximately 26 species of leafcutter bees have been documented in Michigan and all are extremely efficient pollinators. It would take approximately 3,000 honey bees to pollinate the same number of flowers as 150 leafcutter bees! Leafcutter bees were named such because of the circular shape they chew out of leaves to separate chambers in their nest. A nest consists of a hollow stem or hole in a log. The solitary female bee lays eggs and leaves bee bread (a mixture of pollen and nectar from plants as well as the female’s saliva) for her young. She lays an egg, makes bee bread, and puts a leaf segment “wall” in place before repeating the process in the next chamber. Once she has laid 8 or 9 eggs, she caps the door with mud. Leafcutter bees prefer the nectar and pollen of crop plants such as apples, legumes, and clover, but also wildflowers such as showy tick trefoil, vervain and purple coneflower. As for the leaves used in nest construction, they prefer rose and pea leaves but also use redbud, azaleas, and ash leaves.
Crosswinds Marsh Rules
No fires
No bikes / ATVs / personal watercraft
No swimming or ice fishing
Dogs must be leashed
No alcohol or illegal substances
No camping
Fishing in designated areas only
Collecting of plants & animals prohibited
Park only at N 42° 05.744' W 83° 26.552'
All Geocachers must follow the above rules.
Crosswinds Marsh is open from DAWN to DUSK. Admission is FREE.
This cache has been placed with the permission of Wayne County Parks. Permit 2021-02 has been submitted and is on file at the park office.