Mason Bee Resources

Male blue orchard bee emerging from a bee house emergence chamber.

It is March and mason bee season is here! Mason bees, also known as solitary bees or orchard bees, are a type of bee belonging to the Megachilidae family. Unlike honey bees, which live in colonies, mason bees are solitary creatures, meaning they don't form hives or colonies with a queen and worker bees. Instead, each female mason bee builds and provisions her own nest.

These bees are excellent pollinators, often more efficient than honey bees for certain crops. They are called "mason bees" because they use mud or other materials to construct their nests, which are typically found in pre-existing holes in wood or masonry, hence the name.

Mason bees are native to many parts of the world, including North America, Europe, and Asia. There are dozens of species of native mason bees in Washington. They are highly efficient pollinators and are often used in orchards and gardens to improve pollination rates. Because they don't produce honey, their value lies primarily in their pollination services.

One interesting aspect of mason bees is their early spring activity. They emerge from their nests early in the spring, making them valuable pollinators for early-blooming plants when other pollinators might still be inactive.

Many people interested in gardening or promoting biodiversity will set up mason bee houses to attract these valuable pollinators to their gardens. Check out our Mason Bee Quick Guide (available in English and Spanish now available for download) to get some helpful tips and tricks on house placement and bee-supportive strategies.

For more information on mason bees check out OSU Extension’s 2016 publication Nurturing Mason Bees in Your Backyard in Western Oregon.