Market Farming

[Sojourner <sojournr AT missouri.org>]

FullCircleFarm wrote:
> 
> What sort of house do mason bees like?

From:

http://phylogeny.arizona.edu/pubs/insects/ahb/inf29.html

To build your own bee house, drill a series of holes 3/8 inches in
diameter (smaller diameter holes will be used by leafcutter bees) three
to six inches deep in pine or fir 4X4's or glued-up boards. Space the
holes about 3/4 inch apart, the number and design are up to you. Paint
and decorate as you wish. Mount the house firmly to fixed surface where
it will get morning sun (the bees don't like to swing). Mason bees are
active in the spring, so provide houses from February to July in
Arizona.  Holes that are being used will be plugged with mud.

<end article>

To protect the above from woodpeckers, put a chicken wire or hardware
cloth "cage" around the nest box to keep the birds away but still let
the bees in.

-- 
Holly ;-D
Contrary Peasant
sojournr AT missouri.org