Sustainable Mason Bee House

The benefit of Mason Bees is that they are efficient pollinators, as just 2-3 can pollinate a mature apple tree. Mason bees are a type of native bee, of which there are more than 4,000 of alone in the U.S. Unlike Honeybees, Mason Bees are solitary wood boring insects, meaning they do not operate in a colony, rather every female is her own queen, moreover they nest pollen, water, and their eggs in small natural cavities left behind from such as woodpeckers. However, since they are not able to build a nest for themselves, they rely on other creatures or humans to play a role. Female Mason Bees rarely sting since they do not have honey to protect, therefore don’t mistake them for Carpenter Bees or Wasps – Mason Bees are friendly and approachable. From this DIY you can support your local native bees by placing this in your backyard.

Read more about the amazing world of Mason Bees

Materials Needed:

• (Yellow) Construction Paper
• Coffee Can/Soup Can
• Glue Stick
• Black Colored Marker
• Brown Paper Bag
• 2 ft. of Yarn
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil

Alternative Material:

• Black and Yellow Paint (paint brushes)
• Tape
• Craft Glue
• Sharpie
• Biodegradable Straws
• Cardboard Tubes

Instructions:

1. Make sure the can is clean before using and take off the label.

• Wrap the can with the yellow construction paper and tape it or glue it tightly together. Cut the ends of the paper till it is fit appropriately on the can.

• Decorate the can to your liking.
• Optional: Draw black stripes on the can with a marker or sharpie.
• Gather your pencil, scissors, and paper bag. Cut 6 x 2 inch rectangles from the paper bag.

• Wrap each piece lengthwise along pencils, markers, and pens (the more different sizes and variations,the better) and secure a piece of tape or craft glue at the end of the piece before you wrap it up.

• Make enough tubes to fill up the can. If the tubes are too long for the can, simply cut it to the preferred length.

• Cut two strands of rope that are about 2 feet in length. Tie the end of each strand so that there are two loops. Put each strand around the can and hot glue each along the bottom where the rope touches the can-except leaving the upper section of the loop for hanging.
• Hang on a secure tree branch or pole, 3-6 feet off the ground. Make sure the location has sunlight exposure, mud, floral, and water resource.

Notes:

• You don’t have to do anything to attract the native bees – they will come on their own when they are ready.
• Mason Bees like a tunnel length of 5-7 inches, so a can of asparagus spears works well – I used a coffee can, but it also worked well, just took more time to make the nesting tubes.
• I recommend if you don’t have a lot of patience or time to buy the already prepackaged mason bee nesting tubes or biodegradable straws.
• If you would like to, once a year you can clean or change out the tube nesting holes to prevent mold and rotting.
• Leave a bowl of sugar water out to energize bees on their busy days.
• Mason Bees don’t pollinate certain blossoms, rather whatever they can find. These include the following best: apricots, almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, prunes, raspberries, strawberries, and flowers in the rose family.