Master Gardeners of Ventura County
University of California
Master Gardeners of Ventura County

Posts Tagged: bee condo

Hole in One

First you give them roots, then you give them wings. That's what's happening in our bee condo, a wooden block (nest) with drilled holes for leafcutting bees (Megachile). They flew in, laid their eggs, provisioned the nests with pollen and leaf...

Hole in one--a hole signifying the emergence of a leafcutting bee (Megachile). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Hole in one--a hole signifying the emergence of a leafcutting bee (Megachile). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Hole in one--a hole signifying the emergence of a leafcutting bee (Megachile). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Leafcutting bee provisioning her nest. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Leafcutting bee provisioning her nest. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Leafcutting bee provisioning her nest. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Leafcutting bee on sedum. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Leafcutting bee on sedum. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Leafcutting bee on sedum. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, August 12, 2011 at 10:08 PM
Tags: bee condo (4), Megachile (10), native bees (34), Robbin Thorp (287)

Ten Tenants

Ten tenants.That's how many tenants are occupying our wooden bee block, aka "bee condo."It's "home, sweet home" for leafcutting bees (Megachile spp.).Daily we see these native bees tear holes in leaves (red bud, rose, catmint, gold coin, rock purslane...

Two leafcutting bees (Megachile spp.) at their bee condo. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Two leafcutting bees (Megachile spp.) at their bee condo. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Two leafcutting bees (Megachile spp.) at their bee condo. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Leafcutter bee sipping nectar from a rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Leafcutter bee sipping nectar from a rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Leafcutter bee sipping nectar from a rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 8:24 PM
Tags: bee condo (4), leafcutter bees (4), Megachile (10)

Build It And They Will Come

Build it and they will come. Baseball's “Field of Dreams?” No, a bee nesting block.  Think "bee condo." It's an artificial nesting site made of wood and drilled with different-sized holes and depths to accommodate the diversity of...

This is a bee nesting block built to attract native pollinators.  (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This is a bee nesting block built to attract native pollinators. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female leafcutting bee heads for the bee nesting block. The holes are of different diameters and depths to attract a greater diversity of native bees.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A female leafcutting bee heads for the bee nesting block. The holes are of different diameters and depths to attract a greater diversity of native bees.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Leafcutter bees are just a few of the native bees that use a bee nesting block. The block faces the morning sun so that bees can warm themselves up to flight temperature. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Leafcutter bees are just a few of the native bees that use a bee nesting block. The block faces the morning sun so that bees can warm themselves up to flight temperature. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Environment

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