Mason Bee House
Attract Nature's Most Industrious Pollinators! Boost your garden's productivity by providing a happy home for peaceful, non-aggressive Mason Bees. Slightly smaller than a honey bee, Mason bees are incredible pollinators, visiting as many as 1,000 blooms a day; 20 times more than a honeybee! Hang this natural bamboo house against a tree or a wall where it will get morning sun. Female bees fill the bamboo tubes with their eggs as well as nectar and pollen for the young to eat. This all natural gardening aid will certainly be a backyard conversation piece while increasing your floral and vegetable production. Measures 5.75" W x 10" H x 5.75"L.
A note on Mason Bees: Simply hang it and they will come! A sizeable population can be established after several years as they are excellent pollinators especially in orchards. These bees are active in early spring to mid summer when fruit flowers are in bloom. They are adapted to a cool climate and can fly in chilly, even drizzly weather. They are non-aggressive, and not likely to sting, these bees are ideal to control for pollination uses.
Additional Information
MOUNTING THE BEE HOUSE: The Bee House should be placed against a flat surface and located in an area protected from high winds. The front of the house should have a south or southwest exposure where it will get the most sun in winter to keep bees warm.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Once you have an established colony of bees, make sure to provide a "mud hole" during long dry spells. The bees need water to plug the ends of the holes and between larvae on the inside. Placing water in a container near the bee house will work also. BE CAREFUL not to bump or move the Bee House for several months after activity ends - you don't want to knock the larvae off their pollen pile and starve them!
CLEANING: Mix a solution of six parts water to one part bleach in a one-quart container to fill it about halfway. This should be adequate to fill one mason bee house. Pour the bleach solution into each tube and use an old toothbrush to scrub debris from inside it. Dump the remaining solution from the entire nesting block. Spray the inside of each tube with a fine stream of water from a garden hose or pressure washer. This will wash out any remaining debris and bleach. The mason bee house is now clean and ready to be rotated in when the other is dirty.