This mason bee house will house 9 mason bees.

Mason bees (also known as solitary bees) are cavity-nesters. They don’t make honey, or nests and are prodigious pollinators.

In the wild, mason bees lay their eggs in small natural cavities, sealing them with mud, and since they are unable to excavate their own nesting cavities, are just as happy to lay their eggs in ceramic mason bee houses. I made several test ones a few years ago. I tested them at my River’s Edge Farm in the spring and before too long, they were full of mason bees nesting!

Mason bees are excellent cross-pollinators. They carry dry, loose pollen on scopa hairs on the underside of their bellies, where the pollen sticks to their bodies like velcro and drops off as they fly from flower to flower, contributing to 2X - 3X the pollination of a honeybee.

Mason bees are native bees, of which there are more than 4,000 species in the U.S., and are proving to be much hardier than honeybees. Native bees have two big advantages over honeybees. First is the fact that they are solitary; they work for themselves and live independently. This makes them far less susceptible to disease and pest problems.

This mason bee house is 1 3/4” square, with a small hole in the back so it can be hung up on a wall. It looks raw and earthy. When putting in the garden, place it at least 4’ off the ground, with openings facing out towards the garden or meadow.

In the winter, as long as all the mason bees have vacated the premises, you can use the mason bee house as a feather or dried flower holder indoors, until the following spring. Before using again, give the mason bee house a clean using just water and let it air dry before ready to use.

This piece is 1 1/2” square, with an hole in the back so that it can be attached to a wall or wood post.

Handmade by Priscilla Woolworth in the Hudson Valley, NY

River’s Edge Farm is a climate resilient, carbon neutral, zero waste, pollinator supporting regenerative organic mini farm in the Hudson Valley, in upstate New York. More information available on its page on Instagram.