Native Bee Cocoons

Mason bees and leafcutter bees are gentle solitary bees that are amazing pollinators. The fact that they are solitary means that they do not live in colonies like the honey bee (a species originating in Europe). They are cavity-nesting bees that build their nests in ready-made cavities like hollow stems, holes in tree bark, or rotting wood, and do not aggressively guard these nests like honey bees do. These gentle solitaires will only sting if they find themselves in harm's way (like if handled or squeezed).

Mason bees are only active for a couple of months in mid-spring and they are super productive (it is said they are 10-100 times more efficient than honey bees), with the capacity to pollinate up to 1,000 flowers in a single day. They are especially adept at pollinating plants in the rose family (Rosacea) like apple, cherry, peach, plum and pear trees, which makes them great for orchards! On top of fruit trees, they will also pollinate any other early-blooming plants like berries (serviceberry, elderberry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry). Includes 10 cocoons.

Leafcutter bees are an important pollinator of many native wildflowers. They are generalists though, and can be amazingly efficient at pollinating the vegetable garden, the orchard, or the flower garden. They will cut small pieces of leaves to build their nests. Includes 25 cocoons.

KITS: 

--->Native Bee House Kit: Small wooden bee house that features a hollow area to place the bee cocoons and reeds for the bees to nest in, plus 25 leafcutter bee cocoons and a native bee guide booklet.

--->Native Bee Deluxe Villa: Deluxe pine wood bee villa that features a large overhang to keep your bees dry during rain storms, a protected loft nursery to securely hold your bee cocoons away from predators, reeds for your bees to nest in, plus 10 mason bee cocoons and 25 leafcutter bee cocoons and an reference book on pollinating with mason bees.