How to Properly Equip a Bee House Made of Stone
Mason bees are incredible: they are docile, easy to raise, and excellent pollinators of spring-blooming fruit and nut trees. These bees do not use hives in the same way as honey bees, but prefer to place eggs in narrow holes clogged with dirt (hence the name “mason bee”).
Their gentle nature and preference for secluded habitats make mason bees a great species to “keep” in your yard. That is, if you do everything right. If you do it wrong, you could cause them more harm than help.
Former evolutionary biology professor Colin Purrington took to X (on Twitter at the time) a few years ago to tell us all the times our good intentions have gone awry, and it’s worth remembering if you’re looking to build a rock bee house in your yard or garden. This spring.
If you’re looking to build your own stone bee house, Purrington offers his own guide here , as well as plenty of additional materials you can use. If you’re leaning toward the store-bought variety, don’t just grab the first cute “mason bee” design you see. It’s important to learn about these species first so you can understand how to most effectively help them rather than accidentally harming them instead.
How to properly clean a stone bee house
The biggest problem Purrington points out with some store-bought stone bee houses is that the blocks and reeds are glued to the back of the house. This means you can’t add new nesting material every spring, which greatly increases the risk of parasite and fungal infestations.
Here you will find useful information on year-round mason bee care , including storing nesting tubes and blocks and collecting cocoons.
The best place to install a stone bee house
Masonry bee houses should be located on a level surface in an area protected from strong winds, approximately six feet above the ground and, if possible, facing south. Do not hang stone houses by rope from a tree branch; letting the eggs swing with every breeze is no good. They also need to be close enough to pollen-producing plants (they won’t travel more than 300 feet) and have a good supply of clayey mud to line their nesting burrows.
The roof of a good stone bee house will have a small overhang to protect the openings from rain and reduce the risk of rotting larvae and pupae inside the nest.
If you’re currently unsure about the quality of your stone bee house, you can always ask Purrington’s opinion directly (hey, he offered).