Solitary Bees are Vital to Our Food Production and Ecosystem

Learn more about renting solitary bees!

Bothell, WA, March 8^th, 2021
Solitary bees are super pollinators and vital to our food production and ecosystem. Leafcutter and blue orchard mason bees are two of the most productive bee species used for crop pollination. They belly-flop onto flowers and collect pollen all over their bodies, which enables them to pollinate 95% of the flowers they land on and they can visit up to 2,000 blossoms a day. “Bees are a crucial part of our ecosystem,” says Jim Watts, owner of Rent Mason Bees. “A third of the food that we eat is directly pollinated by bees. We need bees to pollinate our food and we have to protect our bee populations.”

SOLITARY BEE FACTS!

• Solitary bees live alone and do not have a hive, they find their own nest, gather their own food and lay their own eggs
• They are non-aggressive and DON’T STING
• Mason bees lay around 15 eggs a year compared to honeybees that lay 2,000 eggs a day
• Similar to a butterfly, the larva spins a cocoon, hibernates over winter then emerges as an adult bee

Solitary bees are the super pollinators of the bee species and are vital to our food production and ecosystem. Learn how you can support them.  Tweet

HOW YOU CAN HELP – Start at home. Do not use pesticides and plant a variety of flowers. Clean cocoons and nesting blocks every year to rid evasive predators such as pollen mites and houdini flies that can destroy bee populations. If you don’t want to commit to cleaning, YOU CAN RENT BEES.

RENT SOLITARY BEES – Rent Mason Bees is the only company in the country that brings gardeners and farmers together with their bee rental program. Solitary bees are the easiest bees to host because they are low maintenance. Purchase a solitary bee kit (which includes bees) and hang in your yard. Watch them pollinate and your yard thrive. In the fall, mail the nesting block back to Rent Mason Bees. They clean all cocoons and nesting blocks and the following spring your bees are sent to farmers to help pollinate orchards and increase food production. YOUR BEES MAKE FOOD!

About Rent Mason Bees
Rent Mason Bees works with three species of bees across the U.S.: blue orchard & hornfaced mason bees and leafcutter bees. They are a division of Watts Solitary Bees, which is family owned and operated for over 56 years. Rent Mason Bees program offers a way to be involved in your food sources and promote healthier urban and rural ecosystems with a minimal commitment. By utilizing gardeners, farmers are able to use these solitary bees to grow more food. www.rentmasonbees.com

Contact
Thyra McKelvie
206-910-4156
[email protected]