Handmade Large Mason Bee House - Attracts Pollinators

This beautiful hand-made bee house, manufactured by JCs Wildlife, is constructed from recycled poly lumber. Featuring an all-screwed design using stainless steel screws and routed edges, the house is built to last, with vibrant, UV-protected colors that will not crack, split, or fade over time.

The interior boasts 16 rows of removable, charred pine panels, creating a cozy nesting environment for mason bees. The poly lumber is stain-proof, making the entire house easier to clean and maintain. Crafted in the USA, this bee house will attract a variety of bees, including mason, orchard, leaf-cutter, aphid, or carpenter bees.

To use the bee house, attach the nesting box to the side of a post or building using the included mounting hardware. Positioning the house to face East or Southeast will allow the bees to benefit from the morning sun, which helps them take flight earlier to collect pollen. It is crucial to avoid placing the house near areas where pesticides or herbicides are used. The ideal height for the bee house is 3-5 feet off the ground, as the bees will find the house without any assistance.

In the spring, as the weather warms to 55°F, adult mason bees will emerge and begin mating, with the females seeking a suitable location, such as this bee house, to lay their eggs. The females typically continue laying eggs until the end of spring.

After about a week, the eggs will hatch, and the larvae will feed on the available pollen and nectar in each nesting slot. By late June, the larvae will spin cocoons and develop into adult bees within. During this period, no bee activity will be visible on the outside of the house, and it is essential not to disturb the nest.

In the fall, the panels can be removed to reveal the cocoons inside the slots, with each nesting slot containing up to 8 cocoons. These cocoons can be carefully removed and stored in the refrigerator over the winter months, where the bees will hibernate for nearly 6 months.

Once the temperature reaches 57°F for several consecutive days, typically in late February or early March, the cocoons can be removed from the refrigerator and placed outside to allow the adult bees to emerge. The cycle then begins again, with the mason bees ready to pollinate the surrounding flora.

Mason bees are remarkably efficient pollinators, up to 60 times more effective than honey bees. A single female mason bee is equivalent to the pollinating power of 100 honey bees. These non-aggressive bees have a lifespan of just 3-6 weeks as adults, during which time they will visit up to 2,400 flowers per day, collecting pollen and nectar for their larvae, which require the resources from approximately 35 foraging trips.

In summary, this large mason bee house, with its resilient, recycled poly-lumber construction and charred pine nesting panels, provides an ideal and easy-to-maintain habitat for these valuable pollinators, helping to support a thriving ecosystem.

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