Mason Bees

[flitter]

Has anyone tried to use/establish Mason Bees on their property? I want to add some pollinators and don't care for honey. This sounds like a good route and "supposedly" they are healthier/tougher than Honey Bees. They are a native North American bee. Any tips, advice or comments?

 

[~gd]

Has anyone tried to use/establish Mason Bees on their property? I want to add some pollinators and don't care for honey. This sounds like a good route and "supposedly" they are healthier/tougher than Honey Bees. They are a native North American bee. Any tips, advice or comments?

Yes I have tried to help the native population Here in NC by building nest boxes for them. First of all they are loners so don't come together in great numbers. There are no worker bees all the work is done by the Egg laying Females she gathers pollen to place with eggs which hatch the following spring. The males hatch first and hang around the tube to mate with the females as they hatch. I don't know what becomes of the males after mating, I suspect they may die. you only see them in the spring. The nests don't all hatch at the same time, The ones in cooler locations hatch later. In NC the ones in the warmest locations never hatch I have been told That they need a certain amount of time at cooler temps to develope And one of our warm winters is hard on them. Once they hatch and start looking around for nest sites they are very nice bees very gentle and hard workers that collect pollen all season long. They work at much lower temperatures than Honey bees. Most all of mine are working now. In short they seem to like cool winters and I think they might have resistance to things that kill Honey Bees. There are pests that kill these bees in their nest but I can't tell you much about them because I just don't know. I would say that the number here has doubled each year gomg by the number of of active nests/ ~gd

 

[flitter]

Thank you! That's very useful info. My hubbie will be so happy to have another little building project!

 

[the_whingnut]

How did the bees work out for you? I've been looking into doing blue orchard and leaf cutters here in CT.

 

[baymule]

Check out this thread from TEG

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=34970

 

[Emerald]

When I was a girl scout leader we did a Mason bee project- got blocks of discard wood from local lumber yard and a few drills and bits(I have to say that the bits were about the size of a drinking straw) and we let the girls drill holes in the blocks and they put a screw-eye (think hook and eye locks for old screen doors but just the eye part) on the top and hung them in trees for the mason bees to lay eggs in. I had several for years in the bushes around my home. but one by one they kinda just disappeared.. If I had to guess maybe raccoons or some other critter stole them to dig the bee larva out? I can't see anyone stealing them..

 

[Hinotori]

They sell mason bee nests at the local hardware store in the garden section. They've had them the last few years. I think it's 12 bucks for a stylish wooden box with the cardboard straws in them. They sell the straws for refilling each year, too. I'm thinking about getting a few to hang out in the trees.

I see the bees regularly around here along with the black bumble bees. Last year I actually saw quite a few honey bees, so I think someone got a hive last year. All nice calm bees that don't bother me when I pick blackberries or walk through the plants they are gathering from.

 

[ninny]

Where would you get them from?

 

[~gd]

Where would you get them from?

Which? Honeybees can be bought and sent thru the mail. If there are Mason bees in your area, the houses MAY attract them since good nesting spots are hard to find in nature and they tend to reproduce better where there are nest sites. Much like putting out bird houses you put them out and hope to attract wilds to live there.

 

[ninny]

Where would you get them from?

Which? Honeybees can be bought and sent thru the mail. If there are Mason bees in your area, the houses MAY attract them since good nesting spots are hard to find in nature and they tend to reproduce better where there are nest sites. Much like putting out bird houses you put them out and hope to attract wilds to live there.

Thanks!