Mason Bees at Mackin House
The summer has returned, and so have our mason bees at Mackin House! Mason bees are a type of solitary bee that is very common throughout North America. They are usually a little smaller than a honeybee and are often black or blueish in colour. Though these bees do not produce honey; they are hard at work pollinating our trees and flowers. They work so hard, that it only takes two or three of the female mason bees to pollinate a mature apple tree.
Mason bees get their name from their unique nest-building style, which is to seal off the cells where they lay their eggs, with a mortar-like application of mud, just like a mason. They cannot excavate their own nesting cavities, so in the wild, mason bees lay their eggs in small natural crevasses like a wood pecker hole, hollow stems, and other nooks and crannies, however they seem to be just as happy to nest in man-made home such as cardboard tubes, paper straws, and wooden blocks with holes drilled in them. Mason bees like to build their nest close together, so these artificial nesting chambers actually help, and the bees are able to take full advantage of them. These bees also love to work in cool or rainy weather. While honeybees may take the day off, mason bees prefer to work in the rain, collecting mud to seal up the nesting cavities.
During the winter, adult mason bees will hibernate, and once the temperature starts to warm up, they will emerge from their nests. The males will wake up first, and the females will follow a few days later. Immediately they get to work at collecting pollen and nectar from fruit trees, berries, flowers, and vegetables to pack into their nesting cavities to feed the young bees. Once there is enough food, the female will lay her egg and continue onto the next nest. Larva will hatch out of the egg a few days later and feed on the pollen, then spin a cocoon where they will develop further. Around autumn, the adult bees will die, and the new bees will be full formed in their cocoon, where they will stay and hibernate for the winter, until spring rolls around, temperatures rise, and the cycle starts again.
Mason bees are also unique because the male bees do not have stingers, and the females will only sting if they are covered up or trapped in some way. Because of this, they make a great addition to any garden since there is little to no risk of being stung. Our gardens here at Mackin House are always open to walk around, our Mason bees love the lavender at the base of our entrance steps. If you take a walk around during the month of July you are sure to spot a busy Mason bee at work. Come for a summer garden visit or a garden tour to see for yourself.