In hives, not all bees live “communally.” Bees other than the well-known honeybees and bumble bees are our most productive pollinators. Mason bees and leaf cutter bees are examples of “solitary” or nesting bees. Unlike their honeybee counterparts, these bees do not live in standard beehives and are extremely unusual in what they do and how they live.
Mason bees are among the greatest and most productive pollinators of the 20,000 species of bees identified. One method to help our planet by boosting the urgently required global pollination is by protecting various bee populations. Crown Bees is making a significant contribution to that effort.
Diversity in the Bee World
We depend on the bee population for nearly one in 3 bites of our food, not to mention their function in pollinating cotton and the exotic delicacies we adore, like coffee and chocolate. Bees range in size from the tiny Perdita Minima bee to the hulky female carpenter bee.
So why is it important for the bee population to be diverse? It is important because various bee species require different pollens and environmental factors. They have distinctive physical characteristics tailored to their demands and the many functions they perform, such as supporting linked ecosystems, trees, flowers, and other plants that best promote the survival of their species. Being firm believers in assisting us in raising solitary or nesting bees, our colleagues at Crown Bees are masters at promoting bee variety.
Fun and Simple Mason Bees
The best opportunity for the declining bee population is solitary nesting bees.
Mason bees are very kind-hearted and productive pollinators. They nest in the crevices of hollow stems and reeds, holes made by other insects, bee homes, and sometimes in mud or clay (thus the name “mason”). They live alone in remote locations.
The good news is that mason bees are simple and enjoyable to maintain at home and contribute significantly to pollination. Mason bees will thrive and give your garden an unmatched rate of pollination and cross-crossing if you provide them with a bee-nesting home or other suitable housing.
In contrast to more endangered species, Mason bees fertilize our gardens and farms early in the spring and have other endearing qualities. Crown Bees aims to provide healthy bees and everything needed to grow them at home. While these bees do not produce honey and do not need typical hives, their significance in the garden cannot be overstated.
Nesting Super-Pollinators
Gathering pollen, mixing it with saliva, and storing it in leg pouches makes pollen exchange activities for communal bees like honeybees & bumble bees quite difficult. However, Mason bees or other solitary nesting bees manage to accomplish so more easily. On their hairy underbellies, they accumulate a significant quantity of pollen, keeping it dry and accessible for movement from plant to plant and tree to tree. Mason bees pollinate around 99 percent of the plants and flowers they visit, compared to honeybees, which pollinate just about 5 percent. Just picture how many more pollinators and cross-pollinators there will be for garden plants and flowers.
“A mason bee may do 100 honey bees’ worth of labor! Masons have a 99% pollination rate and may visit hundreds of blooms per day. Compare that to honey bees, which only pollinate around 5% of the 700 flowers they visit daily.
Early in the spring, adult mason bees emerge from their cocoons. Unlike other bee species that need warm weather to pollinate, they start foraging when circumstances are still damp and cold in the early spring because they are unafraid of coolish weather. As the daytime temperature reaches a steady 55 degrees F, or 13 degrees C, Mason bees leave their nests and begin to work.
Parenting Gentle Mason Bees
Mason bees are simple to cultivate and fun to see, especially with a little assistance from our friends at Crown Bees. They are excellent pollinators and seldom ever sting. These kinds of critters are more peaceful and less dangerous around kids and pets since they do not have hives to guard and defend.
Children like seeing these active bees fly from one plant, flower, & tree to the next, which makes bee parenting a fun family activity. Watching these busy critters emerge and start to visit your native plants is a terrific way to support your garden and help the environment.
The time has come!
Getting established before early spring is crucial since mason bees are active in your garden for 4-6 weeks. They feed, develop, and work on their cocoons for a large portion of their life within their comfortable nesting chambers. They emerge from their nests as fully grown adults, prepared to start spring foraging as the weather begins warming up.
Crown Bees sells nesting mason bees with everything you need to raise them. The professionals at Crown Bees have created kits with everything needed to raise them, including solitary bee housing, cozy nesting materials, and a packed mix to create some of their favorite mud. The bees and every bee-raising product you buy from Crown Bees are bee-safe and environmentally conscious. To ensure the finest practices in these difficult times, the people at Crown Bees often collaborate with beekeepers, academics, colleges, charities, and governmental organizations.
Join the vibrant bee-lovers’ community by accepting Crown Bees’ invitation. With their lovely Beginner’s Guide, you may learn all you need about breeding mason bees. For seasonal reminders and advice, sign up for Crown Bees’ Bee Mail email or visit their highly educational blog. With these active pollinators, your garden will thrive, and Crown Bees is your ideal partner in being the greatest bee parent you can be.
One more thing: Crown Bees informs us that because solitary cavity-nesting bees do not have a hive hierarchy, each nesting bee is a “Queen” and deserves a crown.