Bee News to Use

Summer Leaf bees are only active in your garden for about four to six weeks, beginning in summer. They spend the rest of their lives inside their nesting chambers - eating, growing, spinning cocoons, overwintering as mature larvae, and finally developing into adults when summer temps reach a consistent 70°F (21°C). Below is an overview of the life cycle of Summer Leaf bees. Please note that development and emergence times may be earlier in southern regions and may vary slightly depending on seasonal variations in climate. Late Spring, Early  Summer—Develop, Emerge, and Mate    Summer Leaf bees overwinter as dormant, mature larvae. Temperatures 50° F (10° C( or...

Mason bees are only active in your garden for about four to six weeks, beginning in early spring. They spend the rest of their lives inside their nesting chambers—eating, growing, spinning cocoons, developing into adults, and eventually hibernating as fully formed adults until the temperatures are warm enough to emerge in the spring. Below is a seasonal look at a year in the life of a Mason bee. Early  Spring—Fully Formed Adult Bees Emerge and Mate   During the colder months, fully-formed adult bees hibernate in their cocoons inside the nesting chamber. Once daily temps warm to around 55°F (13°C), Mason bees begin to...

Releasing Summer Leaf bee cocoons means placing cocoons into your bee house so they can emerge and begin summer activities. Summer Leaf bees are cavity-nesting solitary bees, meaning they build their nests inside available nesting materials. They spend most of their lifetime inside these cavities and emerge from their cocoons as fully mature bees. Females often return to where they emerged and search for a nearby nesting cavity to lay their eggs. This behavior is why we suggest bee raisers release their Summer Leaf bee cocoons inside or near their bee house: It increases the likelihood the females will choose to nest...

Summer Leaf bees belong to the bee family Megachilidae, known as the architects of the bee world. Summer Leaf bees are famously known for cutting the leaves of plants to build protective walls and seal their nests. This unique behavior led to the common name: Leafcutter bee. Mason bees also belong to this family, but they use mud instead of leaves as their primary nest construction material. In the summer, female Summer Leaf bees protect each nesting chamber with a protective shell of cut leaf and flower pieces.   Because leaves are vital for keeping the developing bees safe, females will not nest if they don't have a reliable source...