Mason Bees
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| Photo: USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab/flickr |
If you are environmentally conscious you are aware of the rapid decline of the honeybee. What you may not know is that there are nearly 20,000 different species of bees globally. 4,000 of those are located in the U.S. alone. According to Dyce Lab, located near the main campus of Cornell University, there are 417 species of bees found in my home state of New York. Unfortunately, New York is not immune to the steady lose of these crucial pollinators as approximately 13% of the states native species are facing declining numbers.
It is difficult not to get discouraged when faced with the numbers but that certainly does not mean that there are not avenues worth pursuing in an attempt to halt this alarming trend. In fact, honeybees are not the only beneficial pollinator one can attract to their garden. One of the seasons earliest visitors is the Mason bee.
Mason bees are solitary bees and are very docile. Males do not possess a stinger and females will only sting if they feel trapped. These lovely blue, dull green and black bees are slightly smaller than the more familiar honeybee but can pollinate nearly ten times the plants that a honeybee can in a single day. A staggering number when you consider that honeybees can visit nearly 5,000 flowers in the course of a lifetime. In fact, three female Mason bees can pollinate an entire apple tree by themselves!
These modest but active bees derive their name from their tendency to place their eggs in small holes in which they cover with mud. Interestingly enough when they lay their eggs they place the female eggs in the back of the nest and the males in the front so that the first to emerge are the males who are patiently waiting for their mate to follow. In nature they will look among old elderberry canes for a proper nesting site but artificial homes are easily purchased at any reputable gardening store.
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| Mason Bee nest |
According to the Honey Bee Conservancy there are a number of flowers you can place in your garden to provide an opportunity for bees to harvest pollen from spring to fall. Spring blooms include borage, calendula and lilac. In the summer consider cosmos, foxglove and hosta. In the fall zinnia, witch hazel and sunflowers. Bees are also attracted to any number of flowering herbs such as basil, chives and thyme.
As gardeners, environmentalist and stewards of the land it is our responsibility to ensure that the sacred dance of the bee, one which has existed between pollinator and flower bloom for nearly 100 million years, continues to succeed and flourish not only for our children but for the countless generations beyond that we will never have the pleasure to meet.
You can also find the work of Tobias Whitaker at Mother Earth News, Grit Magazine and on Facebook. Be sure to see what he is up to on Instagram
All photographs by Tobias Whitaker unless noted.
Sources;
https://pollinator.cals.cornell.edu/resources/
https://thehoneybeeconservancy.org/plant-a-bee-garden/
http://beegone.eu/
https://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/how-identify-different-types-bees
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