Mason Bees: The Perfect Pollinator Project for Non-Beekeepers

If you want to help pollinators but don’t have time for traditional beekeeping, mason bees are an excellent choice. These gentle, solitary native bees are highly efficient pollinators that require very little work.

Why Choose Mason Bees?

• They pollinate up to 95% of the flowers they visit (vs. ~5% for honeybees) and are especially effective for fruit trees like apples, cherries, and blueberries.

• One mason bee can do the pollination work of roughly 100 honeybees for certain crops.

• They are non-aggressive and rarely sting—ideal for families and beginners.

• They emerge early in spring, filling a critical pollination gap when other bees are not yet active.

• No feeding, medications, or hive management needed. Their active season lasts only 4–6 weeks.

Simple Life Cycle

Mason bees nest in narrow holes, laying eggs on pollen-nectar balls and sealing chambers with mud. Larvae develop over summer, spin cocoons, and overwinter as adults, emerging the following spring.

How to Get Started

1. Provide a Nesting House Use a wooden block with 5/16-inch (8mm) holes, bamboo/paper tubes, or a commercial mason bee house. Mount it 3–6 feet high, facing south/southeast, protected from wind and rain.

2. Support Their Needs

   • Plant early-blooming flowers (fruit trees, willows, redbuds).

   • Offer a shallow pan of moist clay for nesting mud.

   • Avoid pesticides.

3. Add Bees Order 50–100 cocoons from a reputable supplier in early spring and place them in the nesting house.

Year-Round Care (Minimal!)

• Spring: Watch them emerge and nest.

• Summer: Leave them undisturbed.

• Fall/Winter: Optionally harvest and clean cocoons, then store in a cool place. Many people simply leave the houses outside.

Make a Difference Easily

Mason bees boost garden yields, support biodiversity, and bring fascinating activity to your yard with almost no ongoing effort.

Ready to start? Order mason bee cocoons and accessories here: Crown Bees — a trusted supplier of region-specific, pest-free bees, houses, and kits.

Whether you start with a simple DIY house or a ready-made kit, these hardworking bees deliver big results for small investment. Start this spring—you’ll help pollinators and enjoy the rewards of a more productive garden.