Nice looking mason bee hives. My first year with them ( in 2020) was a real learning lesson. I will make sure I do better at putting them out in the orchard earlier than I did last year. I was amazed at how they fill the tubes up. I was also surprised at how they filled the natural tubes up vs the more drinking straw type tubes.
These tubes are how much they were filled on May 7 of this year.
Here are what the mason bee nesting houses looked like at the end of the year. You will still notice the paper tubes are still not used very much compared to the bamboo tubes in the other two houses. The smoother paper tubes are not the most popular vs the bamboo. I was surprised at how much less the paper tubes were filled. All nesting houses were put out at the same time.
I like to use mason bees for several years now, I place my hives under the eaves on the southeast side of house so they can emerge to start pollinating very early in spring. No need to buy them as they exist pretty much everywhere, just use a 5/16” wood bit to drill a series of holes in a 3”-4” diameter log at a 45 degree angle so that when you hang it water cannot drain into the holes. Adding new hives each year increase the natural population.
Mine just have a 12-15 degree angle to keep the moisture out! I also really recommend letting your natural mason bees move in! I tried the first two years and was really sad i did not get any mason bees but i kept planting nectar producing plants and trees (and moved in honeybees) and the third year they came. I think it takes a while sometimes to get our natural beneficials set up and hope everyone can be patient.
I think our natural eco system is like the field of dreams movie. If you build it they will come!
I noticed that most of our trees flower when it is too cold for honey bees. Even the bumbles are not out until the group 3 apples are blooming. I have been planting ornamentals that feed the wild bees through the Spring and Summer. I am hoping that by providing a continuous buffet, I will not need to buy any mason bees.
I’ve had mason bees for about 7-8 yrs. They are really not much work. VERY docile. Good pollinators. I can recommend crown bees for buying bees. Need to have a way to clean out the bee colony holes. I have some “hives”/blocks that are taken apart layer by layer to clean. Another option is using liners in natural tubes or cardboard tubes which can cheaply be made out of parchment paper. I don’t take my cocoons out of the hive until Dec or Jan although they are mature about Oct. After I have taken them out of the “hive”, and cleaned them, I store them in my refrig. Don’t seal storage container tight as the cocoons need air. They need a humid environment…but, in my opinion, don’t need a “bee humidifier”. If they get a little mold, it can be washed off. Great project for kids.
Also, crown bees has a monthly online newsletter that anyone can sign up for. Very helpful info.
I also enjoy getting the online newsletters from Crown Bees. They also are very helpful with any questions you may have. I will be ordering some items from them this year.
This spring be the second year for me trying mason bees. There were so many mason bees just from one mason bee house. That is when I bought several more. I had two in my basement I bought but had never put them outdoors.
If I remember right, I got more males than females. Each time I put out some, I tried to include one or two females (larger cocoons) and the rest males. Does that sound right?
The natural split is 60% males… 40% females. I put some out (males and females) and then about two weeks later or so, put more out.
I try to watch my weather and put a group of cocoons a few days before we are going to have good weather for a week or so. Males will generally start to hatch a few days before females start to hatch.
I generally put my first batch out when the dandelions start to bloom. They do LOVE dandelions.
It may be cheating, but I sometimes use handwarmers (very carefully) to help them hatch when there is going to be a break in our rainy weather and there are food/blossoms and weather is somewhat warm.
After they hatch, it usually takes the girls 3-5 days to choose a tube of their own and start making their muds nests for the cocoons.
Must have wet mud, food source and suitable homes available when the hatch so they will leave the area to search.
I have heard of soaking cottons balls in sugar water to feed the bees if weather turns bad and they don’t fly. Never tried it.
Yes, it is quite amazing how much more fruit you get when you conspire with the mason bees. Now I break at least one branch every year from fruit trees. I just find reeds that are close to 5/16 inch in diameter. Teasel is a wild plant that you will probably recognize if you check it out on google images. I put out a metal can with mud in it and a hole about 1" up beneath the large cans of teasel tubes, 6" long. I bungee them together so the darn squirrels don’t remove them and tear them up. Next year I’m going to play romantic violin music, bring chocolates and play some of those Hallmark movies to see if I get more mason bee babies.
John S
PDX OR
I tried putting out some pre-made nesting areas and got nothing. It’s possible there is just too much spraying here.
I know bumblebees live in the area since they are all over my passionflower, but I’ve not sure there are any mason. And it is much harder to encourage bumblebees.
I noticed the bumbles really liked rhododendron, weigela, rose, blackberry, lemon balm, and golden privet. I saw this site Nesting Stations in Washington County — OREGON BEE PROJECT , and I want to make one of my own to see what all nests here. Different sized hole for different species.
Maybe I can get some of these to nest.
Speaking of bumbles… they seem to be the main pollinators for my blueberry plants. Their nests are underground and they are picky! Have thought about trying to set up a couple of nests for them and see it they will occupy them. Evidently, a fav nest material is old mice nesting material… Yuck! I will need to find a substitue!
If you do entice bumblebees to move into your yard thy usually move into abandoned or forced abandoned rodent nests, which I feel is a win win win situation
Just checked my mason hive and I have more this year than ever. I put a 1/2" mess wire cover over it and I’m planning to take to our next home/orchard.
