Red Mason Bee
Picture of hover flies © Mike Draycott

Red Mason Bee- seen in May

This bee is smaller than the regular honey bee, and has longer antenna. They are not colonial, and do not make a hive, but live a solitary life.

Logs with holes drilled in them have been provided near the pond for these bees to nest in. They use holes in wood or masonary of hollow stems of plants to lay their eggs, which develop through the year to emerge as adult bees, the following year.

Below shows one of the logs, with a bees about to enter one of the holes, the other holes show evidence of havening been used, with some plugged with mud, and others showing evidence  that bees have emerged.

red mason bee on log

These bees are great pollinators and may easily be encouraged by providing suitable nest sites.
These web sites may be interesting:-
Buckingham Nursery
Natural History Museum




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