Mason Bee Update

Our weather here has warmed up significantly; most of the trees are blooming (darn pollen anyway), and even our Rose of Sharon is budding out. I don't know how the neighbor's walnut tree is doing, but next time I see him I'll ask. Why? The walnut is their marker for "no more frosty nights", as apparently it's pretty reliable about only budding after danger of frost is past.

With the warming weather, two of the Mason Bee tubes have seen activity. The bees have chewed their way out and taken off in search of food and mortar. I happened to peer up at the nesting block tonight, and one of the holes is full! While I was watching, the little bee came back carrying a big ball of mud in her jaws, and she disappeared down another hole. I stood and watched her for a few more minutes, as she left and reappeared with more mud. I hope she has company, but even if she doesn't, at least I'll have some bees next year.

As for the mud, I'd almost forgotten the recommendation about digging a mud hole for the bees. Fortunately, we have a hole in the middle of our lawn where we had a tree topped, and as the top fell from some 90 feet up, it drilled itself into the ground. My husband had filled it partway up with some fill dirt from planting trees, and I stopped him from filling it all the way and added some water. Score! I saw at least two little mason bees busily flying to and from the mud pit, though I only saw the one reappear at the nesting block. Maybe the other was getting a drink, or just checking it out for suitability, or maybe she was nesting somewhere else.