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garrai81

Mason Bees

garrai81
14 years ago

I am interested in buying a pre-made house for native mason bees, and possibly bumblebess.

Can anyone recommend a particular bee house?

I have a quarter acre that is fairly heavily wooded.

I am in a residential area, which is also woodsy.

Thanks.

best,

Paul

Comments (3)

  • Ratherbgardening
    14 years ago

    With the woods around you, you probably don't need them. We're in a wooded area too and have a good supply of bumble bees and mason bees. They'll find a place. I had some mason bees building a nest in the channels on the bottom of the trays for seed starting. They're usually used for the 6 pack cells. I had one sitting on a table on the porch and noticed some going under it, so I looked and saw the start of their nest. They almost ruined my weed flamer one year, by making a nest in the vent holes. Now I keep them covered.

    If you do a search on mason bee houses, you'll come up with many ideas. Just an untreated 4x4 with the appropriate sized holes would do it.

    I don't know if bumble bees would use a house. I only see ground nests.

  • hemnancy
    14 years ago

    I drilled holes in a block and mason bees used it until it got old and dirty. You might need to clean it somehow every year. I also used the cardboard tubes with the straw liners. The problem I had with that was trying to get the straws out to change them at the appropriate time, because the bees are very active and either haven't emerged yet or are already filling up holes. The straws seemed hard for me to pull out and put in. I've heard a solution, you take the old one down and put it somewhere that the bees can emerge but not find it to start filling it, but have a new setup for them. I've also heard if you find some bamboo of an appropriate diameter, you can cut lengths, tie them together, and the bees will like them.

    One problem I had was that I needed to take the filled house and store it in a sheltered place, refrigerator, or whatever over winter, one winter mine seemed to be killed off by too much cold or ? I kept putting out a new straw house and didn't seem to attract any new bees last year, but this year I think some are using it.

    There are other small native bees as well, like leaf-cutter bees, check google. I think they may also use mason bee houses.

  • larry_gene
    14 years ago

    Ruhl Bee Supply, at 17845 SE 82nd Drive in Gladstone, carries mason bee supplies. They would also be able to give advice.
    There is a website also, just search for the company name.

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