# Why do YOU raise solitary/mason bees?



## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

I would like to hear everyone's personal reasons as to why they raise or keep mason/solitary/native bees. And how they first got interested in it.

Concerning honeybees- Even though enjoyment is often a part of it, it seems obvious that most beekeepers keep honeybees in order to harvest honey and/or to earn a living through migratory commercial pollination. There are some who would still keep honeybees as a hobby even if they didn't get any honey from them.

So what's _your_ reason for raising solitary bees? And how did you get started in this interest?


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## bigbearomaha (Sep 3, 2009)

I haven't yet but this next spring I have been asked to provide some for pollination of early Spring fruit trees in the area. So, doing the homework now and see if it is a worthwhile pursuit. If so, it looks like we'll bee putting some Mason bees out this year.


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## kathyp (Nov 25, 2010)

> I would like to hear everyone's personal reasons as to why they raise or keep mason/solitary/native bees. And how they first got interested in it


my husband started keeping mason bees before i kept honeybees. they come out at just the right time for his fruit trees. we don't have a lot, but he keeps a couple of bundles. they are back in the tubes by the time the berries come on, so keeping both mason and honeybees works well here.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

For me, it was just being fascinated by a "different" kind of bee and a strong desire to learn. Nature always humbles me and I like being humbled in a variety of ways.


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## woodinvilledave (Apr 13, 2010)

Why? To help out the commercial orchard industry that will be hurting if the honeybees continue to be challenged.

I'm working with commercial pollinators that are moving to help mature the Blue Orchard Bee industry. Best methods, correct processes to ensure highest survival rates, etc. are all being discussed now.

Results will be posted on our website http://www.crownbees.com within a couple of weeks.

Thanks for asking Omie. 

Dave


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## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

When I was little I wanted to be a naturalist. I was the only 12 year old in my school reading Fabre and Edwin Way Teale.... lol!
Anyway, I have always loved keeping all kinds of creatures, from cats, horse, dogs, and many different birds all the way to mice, snakes, worms, turtles, snails, praying mantises, crickets, tarantulas...you name it. 

Last year in 2009 I was given a mature honeybee hive from a lady who could no longer keep it. I was enthralled and ecstatic! I was completely heartbroken when the colony died over last winter. 
I made plans to get two new hives this past Spring. But it was a LONG winter of mourning about my bees. 
All last winter I kept reading about bees and began to learn about the habits of native bees as well. I figured it seemed like an earth-friendly thing to do, and pretty easy. I was used to keeping insects and other little creatures all my life, and providing for little creatures has always been a pleasure in my life.

Before Spring arrived, I still wasn't sure whether my new honeybees would thrive or not, considering my experience with my first hive. I decided I would 'cover my bases' and also have the fun of providing for other species of bees in addition to my honeybees. So I also ordered some cocoons and some nesting block materials.
That's how I got started this past Spring with mason/solitary bees.
I find them to be a fascinating and charming addition to my 'bee world'.  

Besides, I have a nice big vegetable garden and extra pollinators are always welcome.


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## DavesBees (Jun 2, 2009)

Long story short…I started grafting fruit trees and wanted some bees. I had a friend beekeeper that was supposed to bring me a hive and while he procrastinated I read about mason bees. I drilled an old block of wood with maybe 30 5 inch deep holes and got about a dozen each alfalfa and mason bees. It was so much fun watching them I was hooked.


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## Jaseemtp (Nov 29, 2010)

ohh I will have to check out mason bees


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## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

We love having the nesting boxes on our kitchen porch- the sweet-tempered little cuties buzzing all around happily while we eat our lunch outside in the summertime.


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## Jaseemtp (Nov 29, 2010)

do you know if they are in North Texas? and where should i look for them?


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Because I fear that more than just honeybees are on SERIOUS decline. We have 7 billion people on this little rock, all dependent on primary producers (plants that turn sunlight + CO2 into sugar) in the food chain. Many of these primary producers need external pollination, a great % carried out by the many kinds of BEES.

The facts lead up to a cataclysmic event - a "reverse Malthusian" population adjustment. Malthus studied how populations tend to expand to the limit of their food supply, at which times things tend to get ugly. Some of his study populations took to cannibalism. This reverse case could be the food supply collapsing under the population. Similarly not pretty.

I'm not so much a gadfly doomsayer - I don't get off on this - more of a guy who looks at mathematics and trends. Right now I'm strongly encouraging planting trees, restoring habitat, keeping bees of ALL types, reducing our impact on nature.


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## Mblack (Mar 26, 2011)

My family has a property in the Santa Cruz Mountains that has over 50 types of fruit trees on 2 acres. Because of the extreme maritime influence and the extreme weather in general (a 50 degree drop/rise within 24 hours is common), we had problems with many of the fruit trees (especially apricots and some of the earlier blooming peaches/nectarines) being pollinated. When many of these trees bloomed there was usually still very wet and cold weather. In the early 2000's there was one year an almost total lack of honeybees all of a sudden. Was weird.....anyway, a nursery sent me some info on mason bees with all the pollination potential and from then on I became hooked. I ordered some bees through home orchard society back in 2004. I've made every mistake in dealing with mason bees (and learned from these of course) but nevertheless noticed how immediately that the fruit trees were overwhelmed in carrying fruit after the introduction of mason bees (mind you, one still has to prune, fertilize, water, etc). My biggest lesson....manage your bees and the best way to manage is to cut open all of your tubes or inserts and eliminate chalkbrood and other parasites or you will face an inevitable collapse of your mason bee population. I have since bought a property in the Orinda Hills that is on 6/10's of an acre (but that borders on open land..forests and meadows) and have managed to plant or maintain existing fruit trees that number 50+ plus the same amount in currents/gooseberries. My mason bees have produced stellar results on my own property in pollinating trees and of course just keeping me occupied as a sort of bug geek watching them work on weekends. In addition to mostly osmia lignaria, I also have some populations of osmia californica and some leaf cutter bees as well that I find in my nests. I am now looking to expand to honey bee management as well this next year. Planning to have 2 hives. 
I am very persistant in that pollination will not be a problem for either the property in the Santa Cruz Mts or at my own home. My fiancee thinks I'm a nut...LOL.


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