[Pollinator] Mason Bees, Canada, Pollinator Week, Honey and Love - Great Article

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Saanich News

The buzz about mason bees

By Pam
Tempelmayr
Apr 20 2007

 In Bloom
 Have you noticed a shiny blue bee or what might look like a furry fly in 
your garden or orchard?
 Chances are you have seen an orchard mason bee, Osmia lignaria, and you must 
consider yourself fortunate. These are one of the best pollinators you can 
have. These insects are a type of honeybee usually a bit smaller in size than 
the domesticated variety kept by beekeepers.
 Females, unlike these honeybee counterparts, who have sacs on their legs for 
collecting pollen, have hairs on the underside of their abdomens (called 
scopa) for this purpose. Since their habit is to land on the top of blossoms they 
are constantly transferring pollen as they move from blossom to blossom. I’ve 
found their holes under the siding on our old shed as well as in the tree bark 
on our property.
 These holes in which females lay eggs are not anything to be concerned 
about, as this fuzzy little bee doesn’t excavate at all. It actually cleans out 
loose debris from existing holes. She picks holes about 1/4 to 3/8 inches (about 
2 1/2 cm) in diameter and three to six inches (7 1/2 – 15 1/4 cm) deep.
 The first chore as pre-stated is cleaning out the hole, and then the bee 
places a mud plug at the bottom. Into this she busily transfers 15 to 20 loads of 
pollen and nectar, which provides food for her progeny. Once she has 
sufficient stores she lays her egg and seals the cell with a tiny plug of mud. She 
then supplies another cell the same way on and on until the hole is nearly 
filled.
 At this stage, she seals the entrance with another thick mud plug. This seal 
is also important for your identification as some wasps and leaf-cutters also 
lay in similar holes. The mason bee’s plug is always rough, while that of a 
wasp is smooth and a leaf-cutters hole is sealed with chewed leaves.
 Females live about one month laying about two eggs a day. Larva hatch from 
egg after a few days and begin eating provisions. Once these are eaten (about 
10 days) the larva spins a cocoon and pupates.
 They remain in cocoon until spring. Males (smaller with long antennae) 
emerge first then females emerge from inner cells a few days later, chewing through 
cocoons and mud plugs. They begin nesting in three or four days. If weather 
cools it might take one or two weeks for all bees to emerge.
 Mason bees aren’t just great pollinators, they are totally non-aggressive 
and rarely if ever sting and the sting is more like a mosquito bite.
 Some gardeners I know have mason bee houses hanging under the eaves of the 
shed next to fruit trees. They are simply made (or bought) by drilling holes 
1/4 to 3/8 inches (about 21/2 cm) in diameter and three to six inches (about 7 
1/2 – 15 1/4 cm) deep into a piece of pine or fir. I’m told a “brad-point bit”
 makes a nice smooth hole. These houses are about a foot (1/3 metre) high and 
half that width. They’ve cut the top to a point adding two little pieces of 
molding to look like a peaked roof for decorative effect. They are hung under 
the eaves for rain protection. It is also important they catch the sun’s 
morning rays and there is a source for mud making nearby.
 Tip: About 80 per cent of the world’s crops require pollination from birds, 
bees, butterflies, beetles, mosquitoes and bats. June 24-30 this year is 
International Pollinator Week and the U. S. Postal Service is issuing a booklet of 
20 commemorative stamps on June 24th titled Pollination (by artist Steve 
Buchanan) in honour of it.
 Superstition: Bathe in warm water and honey to attract love.
 whalebonestudio at mac.com

 


© Copyright 2007 Saanich News







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