Mason Bees

Tom-D said:
I put our bees out yesterday, because it was nearly 80 degrees, our Fruit trees are in full bloom.
These little guys do twice the work of a honey bee and they don't sting, or need a hive.
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Thanks for help spreading the word. We have been trying to dothat locally for a few years.
 
Recently helped out with some relocation of Melipona Bees in the Yucatan...real cool little bee that is stingless and mellow but will bite...Guard Bees protect the colony...the Honey is amazing citrus taste...if there was one thing that we need more in this world are bees...they are cool and as diverse as can be.
 
Warlock said:
Recently helped out with some relocation of Melipona Bees in the Yucatan...real cool little bee that is stingless and mellow but will bite...Guard Bees protect the colony...the Honey is amazing citrus taste...if there was one thing that we need more in this world are bees...they are cool and as diverse as can be.
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Just looked them up.. Seems they are loosing numbers like most honey bees. the Mason bee is gaining numbers. I did not know the honey bee was an import to America, and prior to their important all pollination was by the Mason Bee non stinging type of bee.
 
I usually leave a half-acre of dandelions for the bees. I don't know if we have Mason bees here; it would be nice not to get stung as much!
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I live next to a farm. The field next to me is unsuitable for just about everything, so there hasn't been a crop there in years.
All the dandelions you can stand, and all the dandelions you need to make wine.
 
Shepherd said:
I live next to a farm. The field next to me is unsuitable for just about everything, so there hasn't been a crop there in years.
All the dandelions you can stand, and all the dandelions you need to make wine.
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Farmers must be careful of the mason bees and the leaf cutter bees, they will clog every radiator on the farm.
Our friend in eastern Wa, grows alfalfa seed, he uses leaf cutter bees, and must remove the combine's radiator and steam clean the bees out of it each year prior to using the machine.
 
Shepherd said:
I should ask the farmer next door if it is an issue for him.
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They put a little plug of pollen, an egg, and a mud cap in every recessed screw hole on the tools that I have outside. Kinda cool and really does not bother anything except that you have to kill the larva every now an then to get to a screw. A 1/4” -5/16” hole is exactly what they are looking for.
 
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