Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus Osmia, of the family Megachilidae. 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. When available, some ...

Sep 26, 2022 · Raising mason bees is as simple as buying or making suitable housing and placing it where it will be discovered by the bees that already live in your area. If you don’t buy mason bees, starting is a bit slower, but the results are worth the wait.

mason bee, (genus Osmia), genus of more than 350 species of solitary bees mostly native to the Northern Hemisphere and known for their habit of using mud in the construction of their nests. Like most other bees, mason bees do not produce honey, and they do not sting unless provoked.

Mason bees, which hail from the genus Osmia, are excellent pollinators known for their distinct attributes that set them apart from other bee species. If you’ve ever stumbled upon a bee with a shimmering, metallic tint on its skin and a bit of a tiny waist, you’ve likely spotted a mason bee!

Mason Bees — What Are They? Mason bees belong to the genus “Osmia” and the family “Megachilidae”. There are about 500 different Mason bee species but only around 20 reside in the UK — the most common being the Red mason bee (Osmia bicornis).

Mason bees are solitary, cavity-nesting pollinators that play a crucial role in your garden's health. Known for their gentle nature and impressive pollination abilities, these bees are incredibly efficient—pollinating up to 95% of the flowers they visit.

Jun 23, 2021 · In the broadest sense, a mason bee is any bee that collects materials from the environment to use for building a nest. The choice of materials depends on the species, but it can include pebbles, mud, fibers, resins, petals, leaves, and even manmade materials such as …

Blue orchard mason bee (Osmia lignaria). There are a number of bees, called mason bees, that are very good at pollinating fruit trees, so much so that they are also known as orchard bees. They are related to other orchard pollinators like the leaf cutter bees featured in previous Pollinator of the Month highlights (see Leaf Cutting Bees ...

The orchard mason bee, Osmia lignaria, is an effective early pollinator native to the Western US and Canada. It emerges in the spring, before honeybees. As a pollinator, it is far more efficient than the honeybee by transferring more pollen and visiting more types and numbers of flowers. The male mason bee does not sting.

Dec 3, 2024 · What are Mason Bees? Osmia lignaria propinqua, or Blue orchard Mason Bees, are non-aggressive bees that live in solitary nesting tubes. They are smaller than honeybees and do not live in hives. Mason bees are excellent pollinators, demonstrating 95% pollination success compared to honey bees, which typically pollinate about 5% of the flowers ...