Mason Bees need four main things. They are:
- Mud
- Flowers to pollinate
- Tubes (or any type of holes to lay eggs in)
- Mason bee houses (Not necessary)
Mason bees have a life cycle a lot like a butterfly
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
| Mason bees should be put outside when the first signs of blooming are shown (typ. March)
They will start pollinating usually in April Later spring, they will have completed their work and their tubes/holes will be capped with mud. Larvae should be forming in the tubes and consuming pollen |
Larvae never emerge from their tubes. After consuming the pollen they begin to form cocoons where they will begin transformation into their bee form.
Place bee tubes in a safe place (ie. shed, garage, etc.)
|
Take tubes out of the house and either “Harvest”* them or move to refrigerator to keep them in hiberntion throuought winter | Buy more tubes in order to start over again the next year. |
*Mason Bees cocoons can be taken out of the tubes in the fall in order to remove the other bugs that sometimes sneak into tubes.