Search on Google Shopping - look for white paper straws

I found some 1/4" x 73/4 inch white paper ones. 500 for $20

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/171117429393?lpid=82

One thing you can do to prevent the "cave in" is to use a tiny little dot of glue to adhere the loose corner back against the tube. It's high maintenance, but it allows you to use homeade straws instead of buying them.

And note - mason bees do not like parchment (like baking parchment paper) It is too slippery for them. They like rougher paper like kraft brown paper or paper grocery bags. It wicks moisture better and is easier to crawl on. They also like darker paper over white paper. They'll nest in white, but given the choice prefer brown.

Parchment is only meant as a liner, not the straw itself. And, as Seattlegreen above says, they do prefer darker straws.

I'd like to just give it a low-investment, DIY try: what if I buy paper drinking straws (1/4") and stick a bunch of them in a leftover heavy cardboard tube, and seal off one end. I could wrap the tube in something weatherproofing, like plastic wrap. What do you guys think--decent idea, or disaster?

The bees need strong paper tubes for good structure, predator protection, and texture...which is generally a heavier material than a drinking straw. They also prefer a specific diameter straw that suits their body size. So if you spring for paper straws that are specific to the type of bees you want, you can go cheap on the "house" part of it and get creative there.

If you just throw any old paper tubes in any old container out there, you're not really doing something specific for a certain kind of bee--it's just an experiment in seeing what shows up and takes interest. Could be a bee, could be a pest or a predator.