A few of my friends have have been giving me looks like I’m crazy when I talk about raising bees for fun, but they haven’t deterred me. I’m the proud new owner of 20 blue orchard mason bees (Osmia lignaria propinqua), one of the Northwest’s native bees. These little guys will stay in the fridge for another month or so in their shipping straws, since they don’t get put outside until temperatures warm up a bit. In the meantime, I’m making a house for them that will protect them from wind and rain, but still give them plenty of morning sunlight. If anyone has tips for mason bee house design or construction, let me know!
My bees have arrived
February 9, 2011 by Michelle
