Red Mason Bees

[MaidstoneMark]

Hello all!

Spring is in the air and I don't know about anyone else but Im so excited about the forthcoming summer!

I took myself off to Yalding Organic Gardens at the weekend to get some inspiration, and discovered these incredible red cylinders hanging up in a lot of places; they were full of tubes and the tubes were all bunged up with mud.  It turns out these are Red Mason Bee boxes.

Now, I love bees, but I know a lot of people think they are nasty stinging things.  Turns out nearly all garden bees are 'solitary' as oppose to swarmers (scary ones!) and these tubes are designed to encourage the Red Mason Bee, and can also provide homes for Blue Masons and grass cutters which will all help to pollinate your flowers and veggies - turns out one in every three mouthfulls of the food we eat rely on the work of humble little bees, so I think we should all make a little room for them on our lotties - with these tubes it turns out your population can grow year on year, thus increasing your allotments yeald - how simple is that?

Does it show that Im totally hooked on the idea of lots of lovely bees flying around?  Everyone must think Im loopy!  For more info go to these websites which I found really useful:

http://www.oxbeeco.co.uk/
- suppliers of Red Mason Bee Boxes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/340feature3.shtml
- lots of Bee info on the Beeb!

Be interested to know if anyone has a bee box, or a percent of their lottie put aside for wildlife.

I'm gonna buzz off now (boom boom!)

Mark

[Mrs Ava]

I have small pieces of bamboo poked in a trellis in the garden and every year bees go into them and do whatever they do and seal the end with mud and come spring, the mud goes, along with the inhabitants!  Never seen them going, but it is my teeny tiny little itty bitty bit of help.  Just wish the birds would use my nesting box!

[chriszog]

Hello all,
  Only just registered and am brand new th the site. Only found you as I was doing a search on Google for Red Masons bees.
I have now two nesters in my garden which fill up with bees every spring. They are fascinating to watch. I got my allotment last year so this is my second growing season. I put a small bee box up in March and already have quite a large number of visitors. Hope they help with the early bean flowers?
I too must be sad as I can spend my valuable time just watching the bees instead of weeding and sowing at this time of year. Still beats working??
Regards
Chriszog

[Merlins Mum]

Not sad at all to watch bees, they are amazing little creatures I think.  I've got a little house thingy made up of short lengths of bamboo but don't think anyone has moved in.  Maybe I should take another look.
My brother in law keeps bees, I wish I could.

MM

[Doris_Pinks]

We have masses of different bees in our garden, and when you sit and watch them, it is amazing how different they all are! I have a mason bee tube, but have to admit had it a few years and just haven't gotten around to putting it up, it is more the where to put it is the problem!
Hubby is VERY allergic to honeybees, but we still enjoy them in our garden!

[chriszog]

The bees were very busy at the weekend over a dozen at a time at the nest. I now have 11 completed tubes. They are a joy to watch and very good for pollination of all types of plants. My 4 1/2 year old seems mesmerized by them.
Regards
Chriszog

[h2yoho]

Yes. B&Q are selling that sort of thing too.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I have a nester, it was full of bees for a couple of years, but they deserted it as the tubes started to decay. I plan to try again next year, it's well worth it, if only for the pleasure of watching the bees in spring.

[Merlins Mum]

What am I doing wrong, I've had no bees in mine.  Perhaps it's in the wrong position, it faces south, is that correct?
I think our resident blackbirds have had a go at vandalizing it!
Any suggestions
MM

[chriszog]

Mine is on a south facing wall but on its side so that the sun is in contact with the sides of the tubes and the front of the tubes are facing east.?? does that make sense??
I had a problem with the woodpecker last year as the tubes were filling up he was comming down and eating the cocoons but has not been seen this year as yet.
I have found the best position is about 5' from the ground under the eves of the shed is ideal. If the rad masons dont use them leave them in situ and you might get the leaf cutting bee later in the summer. They too are fascinating to watch and mine only took a few leaves from the rose bushes.
Regards
Chriszog

[chriszog]

Not sure if this is a Mason but it can land upside down??

[Merlins Mum]

Thanks Chriszog.  Yes that made sense, so I need to put mine up higher and turn it 90 degrees.  Perhaps I should get my OH to put it on the front of the house.  If we put it on the shed it would be in the shade most of the year.  At present it's on the back fence and only a couple of feet or so off the ground.  Did have some bees make a nest under one of our shrubs, it looked like a pile of finely shredded leaves.  We put canes around it to remind us it was there so we didn't disturb them.  I do love bees, I wish I was brave enough to keep them.

MM