Buzzworthy Facts:
- Mason bees are the “superheroes” of Santa Fe orchards. They are much more efficient at pollinating apple trees than honey bees because they “belly flop” onto the flowers, spreading more pollen.
- Mason bees are solitary, meaning every female is a “queen” who builds her own nest and provides for her own offspring.
- These bees get their name “mason” because they use mud like wet cement to build walls inside their nests, just like a human bricklayer!
- A single mason bee can do the work of about 100 honey bees.
- These powerhouse bees visit up to 2,000 flowers a day and have a 95% pollination rate.
- Because they don’t have a hive or a queen to protect, they are non-aggressive and rarely sting, making them safe to have around children and pets.
- It is early to rise for these bees in the spring, right when New Mexico’s apple, peach, and cherry trees start blooming with yummy flowers.
- They love sleeping in tube hotels. They cannot drill holes themselves, so they look for ready-made empty spaces like hollow plant reeds or holes left by beetles in logs.
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High Desert Helpers is sponsored through the Trails+ Grant Program by the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division.
