Whenever we come across bees we see creatures without benefit other than to attack and sting, forgetting that bees can make honey and wax.

Bees are nature’s best friend. Most plants and flowers depend on bee pollination.

They are the most prolific pollinators on our planet.

A single native bee can contribute to several thousand blooms per day.

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Mason Bee

We can tame bees and get the best out of them. In this case, we want to exhaustively talk about the mason bee.[1]

Masonry entails construction of structures using bricks, stones and mud. A person who constructs masonry is known as a mason.

Mason bees, therefore, use mud to construct their nets. They collect nectar from different types of flowers. This makes them too busy to sting people.

Given that mason bees are harmless and they don’t drill holes by themselves, they are surely the best to keep in your homes as pollinators.

Features of a Mason Bee:

They rarely sting. The males lack a stinger whereas the females only sting for self defense especially if trapped.
Their legs become yellow with pollens, a sign that they visit flowers quite often.
They do not stay in colonies, neither do they swarm. For this reason they become less destructive to buildings.
They are capable of pollinating flowers up to 10 times that of a honeybee.
They have a short lifespan of up to 6 weeks.

With these friendly bees, your children and pets are safe.

Mason bees become a good suggestion for you if you want to increase the productivity of your farm. They are incredible pollinators.

Leaf Cutter Bee

It has the following features:

These solitary bees are very small and friendly pollinators.
They rarely bite or sting.
They are capable of pollinating flowers up to 20 times that of a honeybee.
These bees will help your plants reach their full potential.
They use hollow reeds and pre-drilled wood blocks to lay their eggs.

Following the introduction of the best mason bee houses, homesteaders find this bee species easy to rare. Take a walk with me in this wonderful guide to get more tips about this.

Choosing a Mason Bee House:

Top 8 Best Mason Bee Houses for Sale:

Niteangel Natural Wooden Hotel Bee Bug House/Hotel

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This is a must-have mason bee house for all nature-lovers. It weighs 1.46 pounds and has dimensions of 7.5 X 2.8 X 8.7 inches.

Features & Details

Pine wood, bamboo and pine cone are some of the natural materials used to fix this structure.
It is hand-made in a design that is both pest and weather resistant. This makes it durable.
It can accommodate a wide range of insects such as mason bees, digger wasps, butterflies, wild bees and lady birds.
It controls the level of garden atmosphere naturally.

How it works?

This product attracts beneficial insects that will in turn prey on harmful parasites. It also attracts mason bees which are great pollinators.

Its craftsmanship is excellent and the size can march even the smallest garden. It takes around a week or two for bees to inhabit it.

Installation is easy. With the set of instructions that accompanies it, you can easily hang it anywhere.

It comes in a nice box with a small brush for cleaning it. The metal cover on its roof confirms its durability.

The best way to deal with your doubts is to purchase one and experience for yourself.

Gardener’s Supply Company Mason Bee House

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This is another boost for your garden’s productivity especially garden fruit and vegetable yields. It provides a happy home for peaceful, non-stinging mason bees.

It provides the required habitat for bees.

Features and Details

This is made of durable natural bamboo materials.
It has dimensions of 5.8 X 6 X 10.5 inches.
You can position it against a wall or tree near the garden. With this it will get enough morning sun and attract more mason bees.
Female bees fill the bamboo tubes with their eggs, nectar and pollen.

The tubes give the females an opportunity to lay their eggs, fill in pollen and nectar which help in propagating the brood.

Evergreen Garden Wall Mounted Bee Habitat

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This is the best option for a buyer who needs to save both money and resources.

Its design offer bees protection against harmful invaders, diseases and pesticides. This ensures safety in nesting.

Features and Details

This structure is crafted from an FSC certified wood. Its roof is coated with a strip of copper.
Open and close ends of the wooden tunnels enable bees to fly in and out comfortably. Bees also enjoy maximum protection.
A metal hanger holds it 5-7 feet high on a wall or fence that is in the direction of the morning sunlight.
It has dimensions of 6.8 X 8 X 7.8 inches.
You can replace any worn out bamboo tubes. In case of shifting of tubes during shipping, you can still rearrange them.

Predators and insect pests cannot reach the bee larvae easily. This is because of the design and orientation of the structure.

Painting the exterior would give this product a unique appearance. Make sure you use a paint that is friendly to the bees.

This is one of the best presentations in the field of apiculture. Spending your money on this product marches its good quality and durability.

Wildlife World Interactive Mason Bee Management System House

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A collaboration of wildlife experts leads to extensive development of unique products with features such as this.

This mason bee house captures everyone’s attention. It is ideal for non-swarming bees such as the leafcutter and mason bees.

It is an attractive garden addition which requires no effort to install as the bees will find the nester by themselves.

Features and Details

Presence of fully removable inspection trays makes it easy to view the bees.
This unit is constructed using FSC certified sustainable timber. This emphasizes on preservation of the environment.
It has dimensions of 6.3 X 6.7 X 7.1 inches.
This spacing is the best for mason bees. Its spacious roof, moreover, provides the bees with shelter from unbearable weather changes.

This is the best suggestion for top wildlife conservation organizations.

Its design becomes irresistible to the mason bee species. This means that bees fill it within a short time.

This mason bee house can also serve as a fascinating instrument of training both children and adults.

Advantages of this Hive

This solitary beehive provides a habitat that you can rarely find in modern gardens. It is always a friend to the gardener.
Proper drilling of holes in the wood facilitates natural attraction of bees.
One can easily dismantle this structure to view the formation of small cells responsible for egg laying.
You can equally identify which part is prone to predators.
Having solitary bees in your yard increases the yield of flowers, fruit and vegetables.

All the parts in this unit are removable and replaceable. It appears to be heavy and strong after choosing screws over nail in fixing it.

It comes with a small booklet of instructions on how to care for your house and bees.

Making an order is surely going to be the next step you should take to achieve this quality affordable asset.

Esschert Design WAO2 Bee House

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This is one of the cheapest options you can never afford to miss.

It is an ideal choice for someone who loves nature.

The design of this unit helps keep mason bees to stay within and participate in pollination of your garden.

It ensures complete bee protection as well as boosting your garden production.

Construction is of quality materials and a resilient tin roof ensuring durability.

Features and Details

It is an attractive design that is too spacious to accommodate quite large number of bees.
Construction is mainly of bamboo which can withstand extreme weather changes and pest infestation.
It is easy to replace the bamboo tubes which can fit the mason bees.
It has dimensions of 4.5 X 5.5 X 8.8 inches.
Since most flowers depend on insects for pollination, this provides the best environment for pollinators such as mason bees.

Pros

The diameter of the bamboo makes it attractive enough to let in and out different bee species.
It is easy to remove the bamboo after a whole nesting season and replace with a new one.
The metal roofing provides shelter, keeping the interior dry.

Cons

The in-built wire for hanging is not necessary. It makes the hive to move unnecessarily.
The roof is not long enough to protect the tube from rain.
Bamboo tubes are hollow. Bees prefer to have one end closed.
The bamboo pieces keep on coming out. You may need to apply some glue to keep everything in place.

Nature’s Way Bird Products CWH9 Cedar Bee House

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If you want to improve and maintain the productivity of your garden plants then this turns out to be the best choice.

Construction is mainly of premium cedar which cannot rot easily.

Cedar withstands harsh weather conditions

The design of this structure is in a way that insect pollinators cannot afford to dodge it.

Features and Details

It comes with a hanger which is easy to mount. You can put it in any position of your choice.
It has dimensions of 3.8 X 5.5 X 8 inches.
This design naturally attracts beneficial insects such as solitary bees which are capable of pollinating up to 20 times that honey bees.
It helps in boosting pollination and yields in your garden.

How Cedar Bee House Works

It has hollow tubes of various sizes and pre-drilled wood blocks to attract variety of helpful pollinators.

Install this house next to an area where you would wish to help pollinate or protect e. g next to a flower bed, garden or blossoming plants.

Note that the insects like a warm and dry place which is also draught-free.

The place of orientation should receive plenty of sunlight. This makes the pollinators to move out earlier every day.

Hanging of the house is about eye level on a steady fence or arbor post to prevent it from moving especially on a windy day.

Factors to Consider When Setting Up the Unit

Before setting up any new structure, beware of the type and behavioral changes of insects in your garden or landscape.
Make sure the orientation of the house is in a way that it doesn’t face the typical incoming rain patterns in your area.
Most insects forage and pollinate during the day. They may not return to the house until night fall.
Give it a few weeks of close monitoring and if you do not notice any insect activity going on then this location may not be suitable.
You can then take a look around your yard and relocate your insect house for another trial.

Skoolix Outdoor Garden Bee House and Insect Home

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This is an ideal habitat for orchard, mason, solitary, carpenter, honey bees and other native pollinator bees and bugs.

It is suitable for alluring bees into your backyard with the main objective of pollinating your plants.

Features and Details

It has an attractive design. Its decorative rain drop style gives it a wonderful look in any yard or garden.
It has dimensions of 4 X 10 X 6 inches. It is large enough to form a suitable habitat for mason bees and other pollinators.
This product comes complete with a bonus 6 inches rope hanger that easily loops to any tree branch or garden stake.
Using about 70 cylinders of nesting tubes gives you an opportunity to experience the benefits of handcraft.

Advantages of Skoolix Insect Home

It has the potential to last up to 2 years even if you keep it outdoors.
It creates a great home for female mason bees mostly. Even though carpenter bees also inhabit it.
Regular cleaning and replacement after about two seasons of use will make you enjoy the experience.
It is cost effective and a natural alternative for a greener environment.
It attracts more bees. It provides a safe environment for wild insects to shelter and lay eggs.

Welliver Outdoors Mason Bee House

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This structure provides an ideal home for your mason bees.

Installing this in your home gives you a positive experience in increase in production.

Mason bees are harmless and do not pose danger to wooden structures.

They nest in pre-made cavities such as woodpecker holes, insect holes and hollow stems.

Therefore, this mason bee house is the perfect choice to help facilitate pollination.

Features and Details

Comes with paper tubes that provide perfect match for the mason bees. These tubes also encourage the female mason bees to lay their eggs.
It has dimensions of 8 X 7.5 X 7.5 inches.
It comes with sufficient number of straws to fill it up.
This is a low maintenance alternative to bee keeping.

How it Works?

The paper tube gives the female mason bees to lay their eggs. This occurs mainly during March to August in the calendar year.

The mason bee larvae develop through the months of winter into adult bees towards the onset of spring.

Cleaning schedule for tubes is preferably after one or two seasons of busy production.

Regular replacement of tubes ensures there is no mite infestation.

Where to Place a Mason Bee House?

A mason bee house resumes different shapes and forms.

It uses bamboo tubes bundled together to form a good breeding place where mason bees can lay their eggs.

Locate an area where the morning sun can directly hit your mason bee house. This helps the bees to heat up their bodies.

Good timing is necessary in mason beekeeping. They require enough time and resources in order to lay eggs and gather food.

Failure to observe these important bee life cycle processes may lead to low production or no offspring at all in the following season.

Installation should be 6-7 feet above the ground with its back towards a flat surface. This leaves one end sealed and the other for entrance.

Setting Up Your Mason Bee House

Care and Management of Mason Bees

Protecting your mason bee house from the harsh weather conditions should be your first priority.
In cold regions, tilt the house towards the south or southwest.
In a hot weather day, mason bees choose to stay away from the nest. This may reduce output in return.
You should also consider predators while choosing a suitable area for erecting a mason bee house.
Predators such as robins, crows and woodpeckers can attack your mason bees house. Protect them always.
They experience attacks when they are warming up in the morning or while out gathering food resources.

Mites attack bee cocoons. Transmission is majorly through contact with each other and during mating.

Long time of mite infestation can lead to nest yield reduction.

One way in dealing with mite infestation is to clear the affected cocoons.

Dispose off or thoroughly clean any used material after every season. This is because mason bees do not reuse or recycle their houses.

Feeding Mason Bees

Make sure you place your mason bee houses near plants. These bee species adapt well to variety of trees and plants.

This includes any plant for there is no specific plant to serve this purpose.

You can incorporate wildflowers around the area.

How to Make a Mason Bee House with Straws?

Do you know that you can make a mason bee house by yourself?

It is very easy and full of fun assembling some common materials to help accommodate your bees. [2]

With just an empty can and a paper straw you can expertly mould them into an amazing mason bee structure. You can achieve this by following the steps bellow:

Step 1

Get a small coffee can of about 6-8 inches long nesting tubes.
Wash the can thoroughly and dry it in the sun to get rid of the coffee smell.
Make a triangular cut at the bottom.
Give it a paint of a desirable color that is bee-friendly and leave it to dry.

Step 2

Use paper straws in making nesting tubes. Avoid plastic straws because they can infect the nest.
You can use small bamboo canes as an alternative to straws. Cut the edges smoothly into while maintaining the required length of 6-8 inches.
Make sure there are no knots in the bamboo. This will facilitate easy flying of mason bees.

Step 3

Locate a blooming tree or flower and hang your house there.
Keep the house off the ground by at least 3 feet. Make sure it is stable and is in the direction of sunlight.

Step 4

Relocate your house to a cool, dry place after the bees finish nesting.
The paper tubes are not strong enough to be left out year- in year- out.
The following season you can put the tubes back in the sun, getting ready to attract more bees.

Bee House Near me

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Which is the best place to hang your bee house?

It should be closer to your garden or yard. Installation should be about 3-6 feet off the ground and facing east or south east in the direction of sunlight.

Q. How are bees attracted to these houses? Are they coated with something?

Bees love hollow tubes where they can fly back and forth with ease, depositing mud into their nests and then they lay eggs. It just happens automatically as they locate the hollow tubes by themselves.

Nature lovers find this process quite interesting.

Q. Some mason bee houses have shiny metallic roofs. Do they need repainting?

The roofing can never be a problem as bees are good at regulating their own temperatures.

Conclusion

These good mason bee houses will make it possible for you to attract and keep these beneficial bees in your garden.

Mason beekeeping is a rewarding practice for apiarists. It is also a source of income especially when the population increases.

You can tame the mason bees to make the number of nests of your choice and sell out the extra ones.

With these put into place you will find joy in nurturing these fascinating insects. Here you can find a suggestion of an excellent gift for a family member.

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