The apple blossoms are opening! It’s a wonderful time! Of course, we hope that all danger of frost is past, but we still have about 3 more weeks when we could have a frost. BUT – the apple trees seem to think all danger is past.
The Orchard Mason Bees are out in full force now, too.
These tiny pollinators are gentle and work hard. We want them to pollinate those apple blossoms!
I didn’t take photos, but while the little Mason bees were busy at work in the garden, Don was cleaning out their little boxes. We’ve been providing housing for mason bees since we moved in to this house, and there is a little bit of maintenance to be done to the boxes on occasion: new straws, making certain no parasites have gotten in, adding more boxes.
This year, Don took the boxes apart and discovered that something had gotten into the tubes, so everything had to be scrubbed and washed (we used 1 part bleach:10 parts water, the same ratio as for cleaning bird feeder). When everything is dry, he’ll put the boxes back together, insert the straws and the Mason bees will come.
Just look how hard working the little bees are.
Wait. That’s a dandelion. We don’t want the dandelions pollinated.
Bad Mason bee, bad.
Keeping Orchard Mason bees is simple. You can purchase all the supplies online or at local nurseries (in the Portland Metro area: check your own area for availability) and at many bird shops. It is too late now to purchase the bee larvae (late February is the best time), but if you have Mason bees already in your area, just providing the nesting habitat helps. All they want is a cavity somewhere.
They are easy to research, easy to keep, and there’s very little worry about bee stings. A Mason bee sting feels more like a mosquito bite (I have been stung, but only when I actually squashed one accidentally). Honey bees (which are very gentle) are more aggressive than Mason bees.
Look into it! We love our little busy bees!
Jaci Dawn 
I really applaud your efforts on behalf of bees. They are such important little creatures, and nowadays they need all the help they can get. Beautiful photos!
Thank you Laurelle! I love bees. We would have honey bee hives here if it wasn’t such a big deal about people being possibly allergic to bee stings. Last summer, my grandson scared me so much because he was so enamored of the bees on our flowers her would just wander into the midst of them and stand and watch! I was so worried he would freak out and start slapping and startle one to sting him, but he was so calm and just watched. It was wonderful. 🙂
When I was in 4-H, we took a trip to see the leaf-cutter bee hives in Denio & McDermitt, NV – wow!!!
Love, me
Back on the subject of bees…I just read a most interesting article in a magazine, entitled, “Have You Hugged a Bee Lately?”. Worldwide, bees are alarmingly in trouble for a variety of reasons. Here’s a quote from Albert Einstein: “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live. No more bees, no more pollination—no more people!”
What magazine was that in? I’d like to get a copy (if not for me, for Donald). Around here, any bee that’s a real bee (not a wasp) is Very Welcome! We have some that nest in the ground (little green bees) & tons of bumble bees (they love the rhododendrons) — and in the summer, we have honey bees, too. 🙂
The magazine is The Jerusalem Report; I subscribe to it out of Israel. I’ll send you a copy of the article.
Here’s one more quotation from it: “The bee is the main pollinate insect in nature. Without its services, as much as a third of the crops we consume might collapse—foods such as almonds, corn, wheat, avocado, watermelon, apples, pears, cherries and more.
Pretty scary stuff. We should all be really concerned about our bees!