Mason Bees: How to Build a Bee Nest Using Recycled Items

COPYRIGHT © 2011 Cherie Kuranko ~ "InkSpot"

All Rights Reserved.

Mason bees are a native species of bee and make excellent spring pollinators. There are over 200 species of mason bees found worldwide and about 140 species found in North America. Most are found in the western region of the United States. This bee is well-known as one of the greatest beneficial insects to have in the orchard or garden.

To welcome these hardworking pollinators into your organic garden is very simple. Build them a nest to lay their eggs and with a little care you will have mason bees in your garden for years to come.

Items Needed to Build a Recycled Mason Bee Nest or House:

• Large, empty tin can (2-3 lb. is fine. For this we use a 2 lb. 8 oz. stew can)
• Newspaper
• Standard computer paper or better yet parchment paper
• Moss (dry)
• Cardboard toilet paper roll - 4
• 5/16" dowel about 12" in length
• Scotch tape
• Scissors
• Paint to decorate can (Optional)

• Begin by removing the label from the tin can. Only one end of the can should be removed. Thoroughly wash the inside and outside of the can. Dry.
• Begin rolling the 5/16" nesting tubes. Lay out one sheet of standard newspaper, folded. Cut it in half horizontally (across the page and not down the vertical middle of page). Lay your plain white paper or parchment paper on top of the newspaper aligning the bottom edges. Then place your dowel at that edge and begin rolling it, tucking under the beginning edges as best as possible. Your plain white/parchment paper will be on the inside of the roll when you are done.

• Then, using your hands to turn the paper on the dowel a little, snug it up on the dowel.
• Tape the seam of the newspaper using scotch tape. Just the middle and two ends is fine.
• Remove the dowel by sliding it out of the paper tube.
• Find the center and using your thumbs at center fold the tube in half. The two open ends will be at the same end. Crease the bent end a little and tape the bended tube in two places as seen in the photo below. This will hold the tube in the bent position. Then place the tube inside one of the cardboard toilet paper rolls.

• Continue to roll tubes in this manner until you have 4 bent tubes in each cardboard toilet paper roll. It will look like the photo below. They should fit pretty snug so they don't fall out.

• Place a handful of dry moss in the bottom of your can. The moss must be dry and do not use artificial mosses that may contain chemicals. If you can, gather it from outdoors and dry it indoors before using. The moss helps insulate the mason bees during the winter months.

• Stuff moss between the toilet paper rolls in the can. You can use the dowel to push the moss down between the rolls. Don't overstuff it, but you want it snug so the rolls do not move about in the can. Not only does the moss help keep the bees warm in winter, the moss provides some protection to the bees from bumping the can. Mason bee nests should be handled very delicately as they are rather fragile.
• You may paint or decorate your mason bee nest. They like bright colors. Please use care in selecting decorative materials that are safe for the bees.

Your mason bee nest is now complete and can be placed outdoors. To start your nest off, purchase some mason bees (can be found from local sellers or online) and place the tubes into your can between the rolls. The rolls you made will be used by the mason bees you bought. They will emerge, mate and begin nesting within days of emerging from their nesting tubes.

For best results, place your nest in a dry area that is near a water/mud source so the bees have mud available to pack into the new tubes you provided--they use mud in nest building. Also place it near early spring flowering plants and native plants or weeds to provide nectar and pollen. In an old wood shed, under an eave or someplace that is reasonably dry and within about 200 yards or less of their food, water and nest building sources. Enjoy one of the best pollinating bees on the planet.

To learn more about mason bees and discover what types of plants they need please read:

Native Orchard Mason Bees.

COPYRIGHT © 2011 Cherie Kuranko ~ "InkSpot"

All Rights Reserved.