Mason Bees, Osmia spp.
Mason bees are common in the United States, especially in forested regions, but they are also
found in many other parts of the northern hemisphere.
About 140 species of mason bees are
found in North America out of about 200 species worldwide. Mason bees are named for their
habit of using mud or other "masonry" products in constructing their nests, which are made
in naturally occurring gaps such as between cracks in stones or other small dark cavities
The Blue Orchard Bee, Osmia lignaria, is the Mason Bee
species that is native to Wisconsin and the species you are most likely to see in your garden.
Read more: Natve Bee Parasites: Wasps
It’s much easier to identify a mason bee by its behavior than its appearance. There are various types
of mason bees and their characteristics will differ. Listing each one’s identifying traits would be quite a task!
Some mason bees look a lot like honey bees, others can easily be confused with the common house fly.
In general, they are smaller than the average honeybee and grow to about 0.3 inches. They are most
commonly identified by the metallic tint on their skin.
Mason bees have faint lines that appear as stripes across their skin. Unlike in some other bees, these
stripes are never yellow or red. They will follow the color of the bee’s skin—shiny, metallic, and black,
blue, or even green.
| Mason Bee |
| Habitat: |
Woodland, gardens and orchards |
| Development: |
Complete metamorphosis |
| Food: |
Herbivore |
| Flight Period: |
Early-late spring, a few active in summer. |
| Description: |
Small to medium sized bee, with a blue/green
metallic body which is moderately hairy. |
| Length: |
0.5 inches |
| Wingspan: |
1 inch |
Mason bees emerge from their cocoons in the spring. Males emerge first and remain near the
female nest and try to extract females from their cocoons. When the females emerge, they mate
with one or more males. Males soon die and females begin to provision new nests.
The females soon begin to collect pollen and lay eggs. Larval bees feed for several weeks inside
their closed cells. They pupate in late summer and spend the autumn and winter as adults inside
their pupal cocoons in the nest. They emerge from the cocoons in the spring, coinciding with
flowering of many orchard crops. The new generation of bees then begins the cycle over again.
Mason bees are solitary.
Mason bees are very effective pollinators. Two or three females can pollinate the equivalent of
a mature apple tree in one season. Their range of plant pollination is several hundred feet so
they are useful for gardens and small orchards. They fly in cool or rainy weather and can
supplement or replace honey bees as commercial pollinators in some situations.
Since Mason bees do not use hives like honey bees. In nature, mason bees place their eggs in
holes drilled by beetles or woodpeckers. The bees will also use spaces between roof shingles or
other narrow openings around the garden. There are a number of commercial products that you
can purchase to house mason bees or you can make your own!
Once you have your mason bee
house, the first step will be deciding where to hang it. The optimal location to hang your mason
bee house is 6 to 7 feet off the ground, preferably under an eave of your house, garage, shed or
some other shelter. If this is not an option, choose a house design that provides adequate shelter
from the elements on its own
Want to learn more about helping Mason Bees in your backyard? Read: Build A Mason Bee Sanctuary
After bees mate, the female places eggs in the holes. Each egg is separated by nectar and pollen—it is at
this time that the bees’ pollen-gathering also pollinates plants.
After the pollen and nectar is placed, the female places a mud plug in the tube (hence the term “mason”),
then repeats the process with more eggs, pollen, nectar and plugs. When the tube is full, she finishes with
a heavy mud plug and her work is done.
In the spring, the mature bees emerge from the holes. Males exit first. Females emerge after males because
the eggs are placed deeper in the tubes. This is a protective measure, assuring a good female population
to help keep the species going.
The answer is No!
Why? Because most native bees live their lives in a very small area, one they are adapted to.
Once you begin shipping them around, you also ship whatever diseases and parasites they
might have. In addition, you are putting them into an environment they are not accustomed to
and they may die.
When you look at honey bees, you can see the damage done by shipping.
Honey bees all over the continent have shared their diseases and parasites. They have shipped
infected bumble bees around to the point where an entire group of species is in rapid decline
and faces possible extinction.
Why do we want to repeat this folly with mason bees? Why can’t we learn from our mistakes?
Distribution of native bees should be strongly discouraged along with sell-back programs. If
they are not native to your own backyard, they are not really native.
If you want to raise mason bees, put up mason bee housing and be patient. You will get a few
the first years, more the second year, and after a while you will have many. They will be locally
adapted, strong, and free from imported ailments.
The bee's basic nutritional requirements are similar to those of humans; they need proteins, carbohydrates,
minerals, fats/lipids, vitamins, and water. Learn More!
Take this quick quiz and see how much you know about Bumble Bees—our favorite essential pollinators
working around the world. This quiz is intended for fun, in a random-facts-can-be-cool kind of way.
Wild bees need our help. Many populations are declining due to habitat loss, disease and pesticide poisoning.
Each of us can create habitat to support local bee populations.
1. All Mason Bees Are Native
Osmia lignaria, the Blue Orchard Bee is native to North America, but
Osmia taurus or Osmia cornifrons are
both introduced species.
2. Mason Bees Don't Sting
Mark my words, mason bee females have stingers and they know how to use them.
3. Mason Bees Can Replace Honey Bees
No chance. While mason bees are highly effective pollinators, the ones we normally
raise are short-lived spring bees. They work great in orchards, but they disappear
for the year before most crops begin to bloom. Although they make an excellent
addition to honey bees, they will never be able to replace them.
4. You Need To Buy Mason Bees
It is NOT recommended to buy Mason Bees. Because most native bees live their
lives in a very small area, one they are adapted to. Once you begin shipping them
around, you also ship whatever diseases and parasites they might have. In addition,
you are putting them into an environment they are not accustomed to and they
may die.
5. You Should Clean Mason Bee Cocoons
Cleaning and bleaching of mason bee cocoons is not something that happens in
nature. It becomes necessary when you have large single-species populations
living in close quarters. Many of the common diseases and parasites have always
been there at background levels, but their numbers become amplified when the
host population becomes congested. If you have thousands of mason bees, you
must control diseases and parasites.
6. Mason Bees Will Save The Planet
No one bee species will save the planet. Not masons, leafcutters, nor honey bees.
Saving the planet is up to us, not the bees. The standard advice holds true for all
species of bees: reduce the use of pesticides, plant a wide variety of flowers and
flowering trees, leave undisturbed patches of ground for soil-nesting bees, and
provide habitat strips and water. To those I will add another: leave the bees where
they are. Let them come to you. We can’t buy and sell nature because buying, selling,
and redistributing is not natural at all.