Buzzing into May - Steps for Mason Bees!

What You Need to Know for May!

Your next steps depend on when you released your mason bees and where you live—read on for tailored guidance!

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FOR EVERYONE: All Mason Bees Must Be Released Now

If you still have cocoons in your fridge, now is the time to release them. It is late in the season and all mason bees need to be released by the first week of May.

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HOT STATES

(Released bees in February/March or 6–8 weeks ago)

You may notice your bee activity has slowed. That’s normal—mason bees only live 6–8 weeks and thrive in 55–75°F temperatures.

If you’re no longer seeing activity:

• Gently remove your nesting block and store it over summer.
  Watch this video to learn how.

If you have the Pollinator Kit

Video: How to Swap Blocks

• Remove the mason bee block then wait one week and insert the leafcutters

• Insert the leafcutter block into the same black house

Still need leafcutter bees?
👉 Click here to order for summer pollination.

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ALL OTHER STATES

(Released bees from late March to late April)

If you’ve released your bees recently and haven’t seen much activity, it’s a good idea to check your cocoons.

Watch this video to learn how.

Also, ensure you have a mud source 5–15 feet from your bee house that stays moist, which is essential for nesting.

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Where Are My Bees? Why Aren’t the Holes Plugged?

We scent your nesting block to help bees return, but sometimes the surrounding environment is so ideal, they find alternative nesting sites—in fence posts, rock walls, or other natural cavities.

Curious why your bees may have wandered? Read this

Get Ready for Summer Leafcutter Bees!

Meet the Leafcutter Bees! They’re the tiny Summer superhero pollinators of your garden, barely bigger than a watermelon seed. Just like their buddies, the mason bees, they’re experts at gathering loose pollen with their special belly hairs, known as scopa. With this awesome skill, they can pollinate an incredible 95% of the plants they visit! And because they’re so tiny and agile, they can dart around to even the smallest flowers! That means every single bloom gets a visit, helping them produce more food for a magnificent harvest. Leafcutter bees are like the garden’s secret helpers, making sure we have a bounty of delicious fruits and veggies to enjoy!

Click here to order Leafcutter Bees