• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Devaka Cooray
  • Carla Burke
  • John F Dean
  • Nancy Reading
  • Timothy Norton
  • r ranson
stewards:
  • Jay Angler
  • Pearl Sutton
  • paul wheaton
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • M Ljin
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Eino Kenttä
  • Jeremy VanGelder

Little "Mason Beehive" for sale at a local nursery. Good or bad idea if I want to attract a hive?

 
Claire Gardner
Posts: 48
Location: Idaho
1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
A friend built me a beautiful Warre' hive box last year, and I have it set up to attract bees now, at least I think I do. I am brand new to this. Last week a local nursery had little "Mason Beehives" for sale, about the size of a pop can, and they recommended hanging them near the garden to attract pollinators. If I were to get a couple of them for our farm, would it discourage honey bees from colonizing my hive box? Would the Mason bees take over my hive box?
 
John Polk
steward
Posts: 7926
Location: Currently in Lake Stevens, WA. Home in Spokane
360
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Mason bees are solitary animals. The Mason bees do not nest in hives as honey bees do.
They would find your hive not to their liking. Don't worry about that.

The honey bees probably wouldn't be discouraged by the presence of Mason bees.
They could be encouraged by a 'swarm lure' such as this: http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Pheromone-Lure-ea/productinfo/253/

Good luck catching a swarm of locals.

 
tel jetson
steward
Posts: 3716
Location: woodland, washington
232
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
just to clarify what John said: the mason bees won't like the Warre hive, but they'll like the mason bee house just fine. might have to order some mason bee tubes, though.
 
I need a new interior decorator. This tiny ad just painted every room in my house purple.
The new gardening playing cards kickstarter is now live!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/garden-cards
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic