Mason Bees for Beginners

The Mason Bee Buzz: A Practical Guide to Their Benefits and Housing

Raising mason bees offers a wide range of benefits for the environment, the community, and your garden. We wanted to take a moment to explore the reasons you should consider providing homes for these hardworking pollinators and how to create a suitable living space for them.

1. Small Bees, Big Results

Mason bees are incredibly efficient pollinators. Their focused foraging habits make them excellent at their job. By providing a home for them, you're directly supporting the pollination of fruits, vegetables, and flowers in your garden and beyond. This, in turn, helps maintain healthy ecosystems and contributes to biodiversity.

2. Community Connection; Boosting the Local Bee Population

As many of us know, bee populations are declining worldwide due to pesticides, habitat loss, and diseases. By offering shelter to our local mason bees, you're playing a role in the conservation and growth of their local population. Your efforts can inspire your neighbors to do the same, creating a network of mason bee homes throughout the community.

3. A Garden's Delight; Bountiful Blooms and Produce

Having mason bees in your garden leads to increased pollination, which translates to more vibrant flowers and a better yield of fruits and vegetables. Even if you don't have a garden, these bees can still help your neighbors' plants flourish, promoting a sense of shared accomplishment and community spirit.

Another reason to love mason bees is their gentle nature. Mason bees are solitary bees. This means that every female is a queen (duh) and there is no hive to defend. My kiddo has gotten up close and personal watching our bees fly around the garden and they just continue on their business. No need to fear these gentle creatures. 

Now that you understand the benefits of housing mason bees, let's explore how to create a suitable living space for them:

Materials: You can use a variety of materials to build a mason bee house, such as wood, bamboo, or paper tubes. Ensure the materials are untreated and chemical-free to provide a safe environment for the bees. We personally love a re-purposed item!

Design: Mason bee homes should have a series of small tubes or holes, each measuring about 5/16-inch in diameter and 6 inches deep. This size accommodates their nesting preferences and protects them from predators.

Location: Mount your mason bee house in a sunny spot, facing east or southeast, so the bees can warm up in the morning sun. Make sure the house is securely mounted and sheltered from heavy winds or rain.

Providing homes for mason bees is a practical and approachable way to support the environment, strengthen community ties, and improve your garden. By building a simple shelter for these tiny pollinators, you'll contribute to a healthier, greener world for everyone.