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Getting Started with Mason Bees

with Squamish CAN

Have you ever wanted to raise native mason bees in your community garden, backyard, or apartment balcony? Have you tried to attract mason bees before with little success? Don’t know where to start?

Join Taren Urquhart who has been raising native bees for over 25 years, for a 90-minute interactive lecture. You will learn everything you need to know to entice mason bees to your garden this spring.

Topics covered:

•  Lifecycle of the mason bee
•  How to construct a simple bee house.
•  Best practices for attracting mason bees to your yard.

Common questions you might have before registering for this program:

What is a mason bee, and where do they live?

The mason bee (aka Blue Orchard Mason Bee) is a solitary species native to North America. It is an early pollinator of early-blooming fruit trees, shrubs, and flowers.

What do mason bees look like?

They are small and solid black or bluish-black. They look somewhat like a housefly.

Do mason bees sting? Do they make honey?

Mason bees do not sting and are very gentle. No bees native to North America make honey.

Will a mason bee house attract any other stinging insects to my property?

No, only the female solitary mason bee is attracted to the drilled holes or tubes of a mason bee home. Stinging insects, such as hornets and wasps, are only interested in larger cavity spaces where they can raise many offspring in a social colony with a queen at its center.

Why should I attract bees to my backyard?

With many of our native bees and non-native honeybee populations in decline due to a changing climate, pesticide use, and mite infestations, providing a sustainable habitat for these important pollinators is paramount.

Can I raise mason bees if I live in an apartment?

If you have seen bees attracted to flowers on your balcony before, you are a great candidate to try experimenting with mason bees. We have conducted several experiments in our local area and found the following attributes are important: balcony should face south if possible, no higher than the third floor, and provide early blooming flowers (food source) alongside your bee house.

Note: This lecture is intended for an adult audience. Teens are welcome to attend with adult/parent involvement.

Accessibility at this event:

• Accessible, all-genders washroom.
• Ramp entrance to building with handrails.
• Masks welcome.
• If you require further accommodations, please let us know on the registration page.
• Find more information about accessibility library here.

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