BRING ON THE BEES...

Native to North America, Mason Bees are gentle, beneficial insects. Since they are not aggressive, one may observe them at close range without fear of being stung, which makes these tiny creatures excellent for enhancing yards and gardens. They are wonderful pollinators of apples, cherries, flowers and vegetables as well as other spring fruit trees, bushes and shrubs. In fact, the Mason Bee is such a prodigious pollinator that it would take as many as 10 honey bees to match one female's productivity.

Efforts are being made to develop large populations of Mason Bees to use as a supplement to honey bees for fruit pollination. In the natural environment, they nest within hollow stems, woodpecker drillings and insect holes found in trees or wood. Urban sprawl greatly reduces the number of natural cavities in which Mason Bees can nest. By providing a manmade nesting block, bees have a place to nest and lay their larva for the next successive generation. They typically begin laying eggs in March and April, which then grow to the adult stage by late summer. Mason Bees remain in their cocoon throughout the winter and emerge in the following spring. The female bees then look for a nest to begin pollinating and laying eggs.

Although Mason Bees do not produce honey, they can add beauty, activity and pollination to your plantings.