Mason bees are among the earliest and most efficient pollinators in northern climates. Unlike honey bees, they are native to North America, solitary, gentle, and highly focused on pollination.
The orchard mason bee is found in BC and southern Alaska and is active in cool temperatures, rain and low light, often flying weeks before other pollinators are present. One mason bee can do the work of many honey bees, helping improve fruit set and flower production during our short growing season.
Life Cycle
Mason bees overwinter in protective cocoons inside natural or manmade cavities and emerge in early spring when temperatures consistently rise above freezing and early blooms appear. In the Yukon, this is often April to early May, depending on weather and microclimate.
Males emerge first, spending their short lives feeding and waiting for females. They are distinguishable from the females because they have a white moustache! In as little as half an hour the male bees can be warm enough to begin emergence once ambient temperatures are around 13c. They will then wander around their release or hatch area.
Females emerge gradually. This could mean days or even weeks after the males. Females immediately begin seeking nesting sites. Please be patient during this process.
A cavity of specific depth and diameter is required. Too big, or too small, will not do! Ask about our Mason Bee Chalet. Once the nesting site is chosen by the female, a pheromone is released to attract male bees. Given the conditions are favourable, females mate and set up house in a nesting site.
Mated females begin the process of laying eggs and collecting pollen and nectar for her babies. They generally stay within 100m of their nesting sites. Each egg is placed its own cocoon, stocked with the food required to get through to next spring, sealed with mud. This is why we call them mason bees!
By late June to early July, nesting is complete and the adult bees naturally die off. Leaving the cocoons in the nesting box.
The next generation develops safely inside the nest through summer, fall, and winter.
The Mason Beekeeper (you)
First rule: deal with a reputable dealer. Our cocoons are individually inspected, washed, and cold-stored a full season prior to transport to minimize the risk of disease and parasites.
Second rule: if you have picked up your bees before it is favourable to release them, store the bee box in your refrigerator where they will not be disturbed or crushed. You can keep your bees from dehydrating in the refrigerator by storing them in their box in an airtight container with a damp paper towel. Do not allow the cocoons to come in direct contact with the paper towel. Note: They are also stored this way for the winter.
Get your bee house ready. Make sure it is specifically calibrated for mason bees. We recommend using our Mason Bee Chalet. Hang in full sun with protection from rain. Position the nest on a broad surface such as the side of a house, garage or fence. Placing it at eye level will give you the chance to view their activity easily. Mason bees need clay. If you do not have an abundance of surface clay in your garden, we recommend using our Mason Bee Clay.
Installing the Bees
In late April or early May it is time to bring out your box of mason bees from the fridge when daily temps are 13c for three consecutive days (ish), and there are early sources of pollen (willow, dandelion). Because Yukon spring can be hard to predict, what feels slow and lingering can suddenly shift, warming quickly and popping the willows and dandelions almost overnight. Check for flowering plants in and around your garden, as the bees will be visiting as many as 17 blooms a minute within a 100-meter radius. It is a good idea not to wait too long to put your bees out (past mid-May).
Sometimes bees will begin to hatch right inside their little boxes, even while being kept cool - don’t fret! The bees know it’s spring (sometimes our trickery fails). If you notice activity right away, those early risers will be males. There may not be much for them to eat just yet, but this is a natural part of the cycle. Even if conditions are cold and unfriendly, the bees will emerge when they are ready. Trust them.
- INSTALL THE CARDBOARD BOX AT NIGHT. This allows the bees to acclimatize overnight and any cocoons that have pre-hatched (boys) will scout around in the morning and consider the Chalet their home base.
- Make an exit hatch for the bees by opening one end of the box or poking a pen and making a hole careful to not hit cocoons.
- Your box of bees (cocoons) can now be placed in the attic of the Chalet with the opening facing out. Jam some cardboard beside it so it is stable and the wind can't blow it out!
- It’s important to keep the box of bees out of the rain and not in direct sunlight – shove it to be back of the Chalet (or natural cavity).
How to set up VIDEO.
What’s next:
- Be(e) patient and marvelled; let the bees do their thing
- Watch for predation of the house from birds
- Bring the mason bee house indoors in July, once the nesting phase is complete. Adult bees will now be dead. The house can be stored any place out of harm’s way at room temperature, with the entry holes facing up (mason bee house or block resting on its back). This ensures that the larval bees will be in contact with their food supply.
- The next step is to harvest the cocoons from the nesting box in October and wash before storing them safely over winter. And then you can start all over again with your own cocoons!
How to harvest from wood trays VIDEO.
How to wash and store cocoons VIDEO.
We are proud retail partners of Mason Bee Central on Vancouver Island.
Note on Regional Presence & Responsible Observation:
Orchard mason bees (Osmia lignaria) are native to much of western and northern North America, including BC and southern Alaska. While this sub-species does not appear to be formally documented in published surveys specific to the Yukon, there are anecdotal observations reported along with the boreal species Osmia bucephala. Changing climate conditions, expanding agricultural acreage, ongoing land development, and the increasing presence of non-native garden and cover plants, fruit trees, and fruit crops are likely to influence activity and gradually shift the range of these pollinators over time.
As more Yukon residents and communities grow gardens, erect greenhouses and invest in fruit crops in support of local food and food security, interest in pollination is increasing. This growing awareness also highlights the importance of protecting native pollinators and observing how species (including humans) interact within northern ecosystems.
Because northern ecosystems support diverse and well-adapted native pollinators, we encourage careful observation and responsible stewardship when hosting mason bees. Our program is intentionally small in scale and focused on education, habitat awareness, and pollinator stewardship. We recommend supporting local pollinators by planting native forage, maintaining natural nesting habitats, and observing seasonal pollinator activity in your own landscape.
We believe transparency and attentiveness to local biodiversity are essential, and we encourage customers to view mason bee hosting as a learning opportunity that complements not replaces the wild pollinators already present in the Yukon.