Vancouver News: Bees to Benefit from Building Boom

'Bee condos' placed in city parks to boost urban colonies.​

 

Great news! The Mason bee hit the front page! Just at the time when they start to emerge.
Yesterday I saw the first male bee buzzing around the garden shed and many more are sure to follow in the next few days, I have several condo of these bees, they produce no honey but they are fun to watch and they make a great hobby. I really would like to know how many gardeners out there, which are tied to this forum have Mason Bees.

 

I have seen big and fat bumble bees in my garden, no pix.... but what are they? Mason? They are big and fat!

 

If they are big and fat they are definitive Bumble bees. Mason bees are slightly smaller than a honey bee and they are a dark blue metallic, they are also known as the Blue Orchard Bees, the male is smaller than the female and it is distinguishable by a marked white puff on the face.

 

On a related note, nearby Burnaby recently legalized residential beekeeping.

Council gives OK to beekeeping.​

 

I set up my first mason bee house, using the plastic tubes and a package of bees from West Coast Seeds, today. We will see how it does. Historically I have just had bumblebees and - shudder - wasps.

 

Beehives to be placed atop city hall.​

 

Last year I had a Flicker sitting right under my mason bee condo and as the bees emerged and fell to the ground the bird would eat them before the bee's wings had a chance to dry out and unfurl. I had to get chicken wire and make an elaborate fence to protect my newly hatched bees. I think the flicker got a high percentage!

 

I've noticed that Flickers will also peck at the entrances of the larvae/pupae-filled tubes trying to get at them. Fortunately, they can't reach very far into the tubes; and evolution has instructed the bees to build an empty compartment at the entrance of each tube. Presumably, this minimizes the damage from flickers and other woodpeckers.

 

City to allow bees on apartment roofs.​

Original story: Condo owner hopes city will help stop eviction of her rooftop bees.