How to attract Leafcutter Bees and Mason Bees

[ArtisChronicles]

you know, I think I may have unwittingly drove one of these away. Course I've no idea why it was around in the first place since there's nothing really appealing here.

[eatmyplis]

Who the hell would want to attract any type of bee?

[VinceTheInstructer50]

@eatmyplis No bees no fruits :) good enough answer ? Now wasp you don't want to attract .. But bees yes...

[mspaularinah]

how does drilling holes in bricks attract bees exactly? Can someone elaborate? 

[mmeds11]

IMHO this is the best style of mason bee house, with instructions.

masonbee.blogspot.com

[halsparrow]

How exactly do these leafcutter bees use the leaves they cut to make their nests? That's a fantastic video.

[natureheads]

They use the fragments of leaf to seal up holes in which they will have collected pollen and laid eggs.

The sealed-up 'cells' are where the grub hatches, eats the pollen, pupates, and emerges in spring as an adult. Of course it has to bite its way through the leafy wall to get out.

[halsparrow]

@natureheads Thank you very much for your explanation. These bees are fascinating. I shot a few videos of one of the bees cutting out a a few Cajanus spp. leaves last week. Do they make honey? I think it is mighty nice of you to make holey homes in bricks and wood for them. I hope to do something. I got some data about them on the web and I hope to tell everyone I can about these remarkable species. Thank you.

[halsparrow]

@natureheads Thank you

[solitarybee]

So these bees are active for more than six weeks, or the summer only? What's the estimated size of your population?

[natureheads]

Hi,

I've no idea of population size here. These bees are active for most of the summer I think...

[solitarybee]

When was the lavender video taken?

[natureheads]

I think it was July last year.