Plight of the Bumble Bee

Plight 

    of the

    Bumble Bee 

Bee boxes are a great family project to teach children the importance of bees in our ecosystem.  Bees, much like frogs, are a kind of “Environmental Early Warning System” and world-wide bees have been disappearing. Bumblebees are responsible for pollinating about 15 % of all the crops grown in the U.S. , while bees in general pollinate a third of U.S. crops.  Mason bees are great pollinators of orchards, travelling to multiple trees.  In the wild, birds and bears depend on bumblebees for berries and fruits.  You can help by setting up a bee box to provide shelter and nesting locations for solitary bee species, such as Mason and Bumblebees. The adult bees do not live in the structure, but lay their eggs in pre-existing holes.  They are called “mason” bees because after laying their eggs, they seal the holes with mud or clay.  In the wild, they use holes in tree trunks left by wood-boring beetles or birds.  While these bees produce only enough honey to feed themselves, they will fertilize plants and trees in your neighborhood.  Mason and Bumble bees are friendly and docile and rarely sting. (Just don’t trap them or get them in your clothes.)  Plus, without a queen to protect, solitary bees do not swarm! 

The causes of colony collapse disorder are still unknown, with the latest research suggesting a combined infection of both a fungus and virus as the likely cause.  (That doesn’t rule out pesticides, lack of native plants, mites, and cell phone signals.)  By providing a habitat for our solitary native bees through shelter and plants, we are insuring our future food supply.  There are plenty of bee houses on the market today, but if you would like to build your own, use untreated wood and be careful not to use pesticides/insecticides near their home.  On a four by four inch block in a length of at least a foot, drill 5/16^th inch holes about one inch apart.  Staggering the next row will allow you to fit more.  I’ve also tried this with 2”X12” boards, drilling into the 2” side, then screwing several boards together for a bee “condo”.  Although Mason bees are solitary, they don’t mind being close neighbors with other bees.   

In late fall, bee houses should be stored in a sheltered area, such as a garage or shed.  Houses should be cleaned in a mild bleach solution to kill mites, as mites will infect and kill bees.

More plans can be found here: Build a Bee House