Native mason / mud bee house

Mason bees like to lay their eggs into clay / sand soils. In Australia they include 

• Blue bar bee (one of my favorites here in Sydney area
• Teddy bear bees burrow nests into soil 
• Mason bees build a mud nest

How they are made

The outside is a fired clay. Don't drop it, but it should be reasonably strong and semi water proof.

The butterfly decorations are clay or resin. Colors and positions will vary as each is hand made; but will be similar to photo.

The house is a mixture of unfired clay and sand that is allowed to air dry over a few weeks. There will be some shrinkage around edges. Holes vary in size to accommodate different bee species.

Where to place it

Place in a protected location about 10-30 cm above the ground preferably facing east so they get a little morning sun.

They are not rain proof. Rain will dissolve the bees nest made from mud.

If placing in garden place on a brick, and provide a roof. I am working on a different design for in the garden. I have mine against an east facing wall about a meter back from garden under cover and the bees have been busy filling it up. 

What the bees do in nature

In the wild they insert their mud into the base of trees, or between fallen branches. (Which is why you should never clean up wood in winter as it may house native bee babies.

They like sheltered locations such as under houses, or in banks of rivers (high enough to be out of water line)

About Pre Orders. 

I make these in batches and they take 2-3 weeks to dry. If you pre order It will ship within 3 weeks (usually 2). All your order will wait for this to be ready and ship together