The national media regularly features dire stories on honeybee colony collapse and its danger to our food supply. But there's another, unsung bee that has the potential to save the planet—the mason bee.
Mason Bee Revolution explains how docile, hard-working, solitary mason bees (and their compatriots, the leafcutter bees) are even more productive pollinators than honeybees, and keeping them can be a fun, easy, backyard hobby for gardeners, conservationists, foodies, and families everywhere.
Why these bees? Bee pollination is critical for about 80 percent of US agricultural crops, increasing crop value by an estimated $15 billion annually. Since 2006, nearly a third of all honeybee hives have been lost each year, due to parasites, pesticides, habitat loss, climate change, and a newer malady called Colony Collapse Disorder. While scientists search for answers to save the honeybee, Dave Hunter and his company, Crown Bees, are leading the effort to increase the population of other highly efficient pollinators: One mason bee can produce twelve pounds of cherries, via pollination, where it would take sixty honey bees to achieve the same.
Mason Bee Revolution is an easy-to-follow guide to keeping both mason and leafcutter bees. It tells you how to set up, care for, and harvest your own bees and what types of plants and habitat encourage mason and leafcutter bees, as well as provides general information on other common pollinators and bee-related facts, projects, and personalities.
Contributors
FAQs
Pollen Mites - Cleptoparasite
Hairy-fingered mites, more commonly called pollen mites, are cleptoparasites of mason bees. As their name suggests, pollen mites eat pollen, causing the immature bees to starve, and in some cases, will even feed on the bee larva!
What is the hardest working bee? ›
Mason Bee Revolution explains how docile, hard-working, solitary mason bees (and their compatriots, the leafcutter bees) are even more productive pollinators than honeybees, and keeping them can be a fun, easy, backyard hobby for gardeners, conservationists, foodies, and families everywhere. Why these bees?
When should you put out a mason bee house? ›
When blossoms are open, and daily temps reach a consistent 55°F/13°C, (nighttime temps don't matter), it's time to release your mason bee cocoons. Place cocoons in a small open container or cocoon hatchery to protect them from sun, wind, rain, and predators.
Where should I put my mason bee house? ›
The Bee House should be placed against a flat surface and located in an area protected from high winds. The front of the house should have a south or southwest exposure where it will get the most sun in winter to keep bees warm. After bees mate, the female places eggs in the bamboo tubes.
Should you get rid of mason bees? ›
Masonry bees aren't as unfriendly to buildings as widely believed, so most of the time there's no need to intervene. Masonry bees are also efficient pollinators.
Do mason bees damage homes? ›
Mason bees have enlarged rear legs, perfect for removing mortar from joints of brickwork whereby creating a nest. Over time, this nesting may cause structural damage and should not be left untreated. The tunnels and holes can allow water to enter the structure causing significant structural damage.
What is the friendliest bee? ›
While a lot of people may be nervous about bees, bumble bees are rather docile and reluctant to sting. They will only sting if they are getting smooshed or if you threaten their nest. In general, bumble bees are tolerant of people, so you can get close and observe them without bothering them.
What is the life span of a working bee? ›
Queen honey bees live on average 1–2 years whereas workers live on average 15–38 days in the summer and 150–200 days in the winter.
What is the most aggressive bee in the world? ›
Damage done: Africanized Honey Bees (=Killer Bees) are dangerous because they attack intruders in numbers much greater than European Honey Bees. Since their introduction into Brazil, they have killed some 1,000 humans, with victims receiving ten times as many stings than from the European strain.
What is the best height for a mason bee house? ›
Mason bee houses are best mounted 6 to 7 feet off the ground to a structure that will not shake in the wind, with the entrance facing towards the east or southeast. Place the house near flowering plants, as mason bees only fly about 300' in search of nectar and pollen.
Check to ensure your mason bee cocoon storage area stays consistent with outdoor temperatures. If it is too hot, move nesting materials to a cooler location (between 70°F - 90°F degrees).
Will a mason bee house attract wasps? ›
Even if you clean the house every year and put in fresh tubes, the tubes filled in the prior year might be filled with parasitic flies and wasps. The ONLY way to get rid of them is to pry open the tubes and examine each pupa.
How long do mason bees live? ›
Female mason bees live about 1 month and lay 1 to 2 eggs a day. Males live shorter lives; their only purpose is to impregnate the female. The nesting holes for mason bees should be ¼ to 3/8 inch in diameter and at least 3 inches, preferably 6 inches, deep.
Should I get mason bees? ›
The benefit of Mason Bees is that they are excellent pollinators, 120 times more effective than honey bees or bumble bees. This is because those bees have a colony to support and carry most of the pollen they collect back to the hive. Mason Bees do not have a hive so all of the pollen they collect stays with them.
Can you get honey from mason bees? ›
Mason Bees are solitary bees, meaning they work alone and do not rely on a colony. Mason Bees do not make honey. Unlike the honey bee, Mason Bees make their nests about 300 feet from the best selection of flowers. There are 130 species of Mason Bees throughout North America.
Do squirrels eat mason bees? ›
Rodents such as chipmunks, mice, and squirrels will also take advantage of an easy meal of bee larva and dormant bees. What You Will See: Rodents chew apart or leave nibble marks on Cardboard BeeTubes and Natural Reeds. You may find loose nesting holes on the ground.
