Welcome to the Mason Bee Houses page. The topic of mason bee
houses seems simple, but is actually extensive. This page cannot
cover everything on the topic, but the following should help you
decide what type of mason bee home is right for you.
Background:
Mason bees build nests in all sorts of crevices, so you don't have to
be too elaborate to mimic their natural behaviour. But most mason
bee keepers are trying to increase the bee population and increase
pollination, so some refinement helps.
To get optimal population increase and pollination you need a
balance of female to male bee. In a mason bee nest, the female
eggs are laid first at the back of the hole, and the males toward the
front, To ensure the right balance of male to female, the hole must
be at least 6" long. If it is shorter, the bees reduce the female egg
count and maintain the male count in the front to protect the
females from predators.
Another crucial factor is the Hairy-Footed mite. This nasty bug
infests mason bee nests, and can decimate their population. If you
select an appropriate mason bee house and take some basic
management steps, you can greatly mitigate this problem.
Choosing a Mason Bee Nest:
Drill Your Own: If you have the time, tools, and patience, you
could make your own mason bee house. To do this, get a block of
wood that has at least 6" on one dimension, and start drillng 6"
holes with a 5/16' drill bit. A sloped roof is best, and you can use
cedar shingles to create a nice overhang for better protection. If
you are lucky, it might look something like Fig. 1. One significant
drawback to this simple approach is that it limits your ability to
clean the holes to manage mites effectively, and it makes the open
cocoon method impossible.
To get your home made mason bee home populated quickly, you
can buy mason bees in cardboard tubes, and install them house
under the house with some tape. The closer the tubes are to the
house, the better chance they will lay in the house after they have
emerged. The bees might come in 6" cardboard tubes or 12" tubes
folded in half, as in Fig.2. Both are fine
Buy/Build a Tube-Nest House:
With the house in Fig. 3, you can install the starter tubes in the
attic, and put a lot of empty tubes in the main body of the house.
This is quick, and easy, and permits a high density of bees. The
house protects the starter tubes and places the starter tubes very
close to the empty nest tubes.
A low budget, and sort of ugly, alternative is to get a piece of 2"
plastic tubing from your hardware store, cut to 12" lengths, and
then cut the ends at a 45 degree angle to act as an eave. Simply
jamb as many mason bee tubes in that will keep then snug and
tight inside the tube. This is not our favourite approach, but if you
are on a budget....
The Cartridge Approach:
Another approach is to use cartridges, as in Fig 4. The cartridge is
made up of separable slabs of wood that are routed to form half of
the 5/16" hole. When stacked and bolted together, they form the
the full hole. The cartridge mason bee house provides great
flexibility for any type of mason bee keeping, and allows you to
conveniently use the cocoon method of mason bee breeding.
You can use the cartridge style house in at least three different
modes:
1. Least Work, Least Results: just buy some starter bee tubes and
stuff them in the attic, and let nature ake its course. You will have
some success with this, but eventually the mites will overrun your
bees.
2. More Work for Improved Results: You can greatly improve on the
above by cleaning out the nest holes every year. The cartridges
disassemble in a way that make cleaning really easy. Use a light
solution of bleach and scrub with a tooth brush. If you buy a
second cartridge, you can easily just swap them out each year, and
then clean at your convenience in preparation for he following year.
3. More work, but great results: Cleaning the cartridge is
essential, but does not eliminate the mites that have already
attached themselves to the body of the bees. With the open
cocoon method, you actually remove the cocoons in the fall, and
clean them in a light bleach solutions and place them in a small
cardboard box and store in the fridge until spring. When spring
arrives, poke a hole (at least 5/16") in the side of the cardboard
box, and place them in the attic of your mason bee house.
Our online store provides everything you could want to cultivate
healthy and productive orchard bees.
.
houses seems simple, but is actually extensive. This page cannot
cover everything on the topic, but the following should help you
decide what type of mason bee home is right for you.
Background:
Mason bees build nests in all sorts of crevices, so you don't have to
be too elaborate to mimic their natural behaviour. But most mason
bee keepers are trying to increase the bee population and increase
pollination, so some refinement helps.
To get optimal population increase and pollination you need a
balance of female to male bee. In a mason bee nest, the female
eggs are laid first at the back of the hole, and the males toward the
front, To ensure the right balance of male to female, the hole must
be at least 6" long. If it is shorter, the bees reduce the female egg
count and maintain the male count in the front to protect the
females from predators.
Another crucial factor is the Hairy-Footed mite. This nasty bug
infests mason bee nests, and can decimate their population. If you
select an appropriate mason bee house and take some basic
management steps, you can greatly mitigate this problem.
Choosing a Mason Bee Nest:
Drill Your Own: If you have the time, tools, and patience, you
could make your own mason bee house. To do this, get a block of
wood that has at least 6" on one dimension, and start drillng 6"
holes with a 5/16' drill bit. A sloped roof is best, and you can use
cedar shingles to create a nice overhang for better protection. If
you are lucky, it might look something like Fig. 1. One significant
drawback to this simple approach is that it limits your ability to
clean the holes to manage mites effectively, and it makes the open
cocoon method impossible.
To get your home made mason bee home populated quickly, you
can buy mason bees in cardboard tubes, and install them house
under the house with some tape. The closer the tubes are to the
house, the better chance they will lay in the house after they have
emerged. The bees might come in 6" cardboard tubes or 12" tubes
folded in half, as in Fig.2. Both are fine
Buy/Build a Tube-Nest House:
With the house in Fig. 3, you can install the starter tubes in the
attic, and put a lot of empty tubes in the main body of the house.
This is quick, and easy, and permits a high density of bees. The
house protects the starter tubes and places the starter tubes very
close to the empty nest tubes.
A low budget, and sort of ugly, alternative is to get a piece of 2"
plastic tubing from your hardware store, cut to 12" lengths, and
then cut the ends at a 45 degree angle to act as an eave. Simply
jamb as many mason bee tubes in that will keep then snug and
tight inside the tube. This is not our favourite approach, but if you
are on a budget....
The Cartridge Approach:
Another approach is to use cartridges, as in Fig 4. The cartridge is
made up of separable slabs of wood that are routed to form half of
the 5/16" hole. When stacked and bolted together, they form the
the full hole. The cartridge mason bee house provides great
flexibility for any type of mason bee keeping, and allows you to
conveniently use the cocoon method of mason bee breeding.
You can use the cartridge style house in at least three different
modes:
1. Least Work, Least Results: just buy some starter bee tubes and
stuff them in the attic, and let nature ake its course. You will have
some success with this, but eventually the mites will overrun your
bees.
2. More Work for Improved Results: You can greatly improve on the
above by cleaning out the nest holes every year. The cartridges
disassemble in a way that make cleaning really easy. Use a light
solution of bleach and scrub with a tooth brush. If you buy a
second cartridge, you can easily just swap them out each year, and
then clean at your convenience in preparation for he following year.
3. More work, but great results: Cleaning the cartridge is
essential, but does not eliminate the mites that have already
attached themselves to the body of the bees. With the open
cocoon method, you actually remove the cocoons in the fall, and
clean them in a light bleach solutions and place them in a small
cardboard box and store in the fridge until spring. When spring
arrives, poke a hole (at least 5/16") in the side of the cardboard
box, and place them in the attic of your mason bee house.
Our online store provides everything you could want to cultivate
healthy and productive orchard bees.
.
| Questions?: Please call us at 503 657 5399 or email us at staff@orchardbees.com |
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Fig.1. Nice looking home
made mason bee house.
made mason bee house.
Fig.2. Bundle of 12" starter
tubes folded in half to fit in
6" house body.
tubes folded in half to fit in
6" house body.
Fig.3. A mason bee house
stuffed with starter tubes in
the attic, and empty tubes in
the main body
stuffed with starter tubes in
the attic, and empty tubes in
the main body
Fig.4. Mason bee house
cartridge
cartridge
Fig.5. Mason bee house
loaded with cartridges.
loaded with cartridges.