mason bees
How to Support Your Solitary Bee Population
There are more than 20,000 species of solitary bees and they are adapted to a vast diversity of climates and habitats.
Read More
The Copycat Bee
Common throughout the mid to southeastern United States, the carpenter-mimic bee (or copycat bee) has earned its name.
Read More
Can I Make Mason Bee Homes out of Bamboo?
I want to make mason bee homes. I plan to try drilling a wood block, but also try bamboo. Since moisture is an issue with bamboo, has anyone tried drying the bamboo out in a low temp oven? Do they have suggestions about how long and at what temperature to dry the bamboo?
Read More
Keeping Both Mason Bees and Honey Bees
Many people, especially those with fruit trees to pollinate, want to keep both mason bees and honey bees in the same yard. But is that good for the bees? Will they harm each other or compete for resources? How close is too close?
Read MoreWhen Can I Safely Clean Out my Mason Bee Tubes?
In order to care for your mason bees, you need to have some idea when the tubes were filled and capped. If it was in a prior year, the bees inside are most likely dead, so you can discard the tubes and start with a fresh set next year.
Read More
What’s Bothering My Mason Bees?
The parasitic wasp genus Monodontomerus shows up just as the mason bee season is coming to a close. The wasps are very tiny, perhaps fruit fly size, and fly with a nervous, side-to-side pattern that makes them look guilty.
Read More