Plan Mason Bee

Missing the company of my honey bees this year, I was instantly inspired by the gorgeous photos of Red Mason bees taken by British beekeeper, Christopher Wren. Here is the post I was wowed by:

trogtrogblog/red mason bees


Heeding his advice, I used assorted tunnel sizes in my nesting trays. A book on Mason Bees states there are 135 species of mason bees in North America. I wish I had made and put out my 'mason bee condo' much earlier in the season, but one never knows what happens until it does.

I made an assortment of groove sizes in my condo trays.

Clear plastic covers allow observation of the bee nests.

Screw nails provide little handles for pulling our individual trays.

The black cover provides darkness for the tunnels of the top brood tray.

A wire screen protects the trays from grub loving woodpeckers.

I hope the novelty push pins don't frighten potential tenants.

*  *  *  *  *

Last week I noticed a strong smell of gasoline coming from the rear of my car. Looking underneath, I saw drips on the ground directly below my gas tank. A trip to my mechanic revealed the unexpected. Directly over the tank, a villain (I'm guessing chipmunk) had stored sunflower seeds and chewed a hole in the fuel pump line. My brother said that the rodent probably got an unpleasant squirt of gas in it's mouth. Sympathy non-existent from my end.

Excuse me sir or madam! May I check your breath for gasoline?!?!

*  *  *  *  *

Yesterday my nestling White-Breasted Nuthatches fledged. I missed the event but read that the young emerge all at once and look pretty much identical to their parents. I also read that the birds will use the same nest site year after year if they are successful there. It will be interesting to see if they'll allow their youngsters to stay in the same territory.

A parent watches as it's chick peers out into the big, wide world.

*  *  *  *  *

Can't miss a summer post without including snaps from the good old jelly feeder. I think I'm on my fourth or fifth jar of grape jelly this season already.

A Baltimore Oriole coaxes one more taste from the emptied jelly cup.

A teddy bear of the bee variety joins the picnic.

A cat bird disregards the rule of talking with a full mouth.

*  *  *  *  *

These hot and sunny days are perfect for salvaging the beeswax from my failed honey bee hives. If the ground isn't perfectly level or the collecting pan overflows, my solar wax melter leaks a bit of honey. Jimmy or Jenny Skunk goes for it like candy. Can't imagine the sticky mess of his/her fur as honey combines with freshly dug ground.

J. Skunk has been digging where my solar wax melter leaked honey.

All that sweetness must work up a powerful thirst!