Mason bee

/mˈeɪsən bˈiː/

[noun]

Mason bee

[NOUN]

a type of solitary bee that constructs nests using mud or clay, playing a crucial role in pollination

What is a "mason bee"?

A mason bee is a solitary bee known for its exceptional ability to construct nests using mud or clay. They are named "mason bees" due to their masonry-like behavior of building individual cells within cavities or tubes, often found in hollow plant stems or man-made structures. These bees are valuable pollinators and play a significant role in plant reproduction. They are generally docile and do not produce honey.

Examples

1. Mason bees can be really important pollinators of many of our orchard crops.

2. These, for example, are all mason bees, a native bee to North America.

3. Mason bees come in metallic blue or green, sometimes gold and purple.

4. For example, the pollination that would take a hundred honey bees to accomplish can be done in many orchard by only two mason bees.