Solitary Bees

What are Solitary Bees?

Social bees, such as honey bees and bumblebees, work together as a colony. Different bees perform different tasks and there is only one queen. In North America, only about 10% of bees are social.

Solitary bees don’t function as a colony. Each bee must feed and care for itself, and each female is a reproductive queen.  So in North America, most bees are solitary!

There are many species of solitary bees, but we’ll focus on two that are excellent pollinators for the backyard gardener or homesteader;
mason bees and leafcutter bees.

What are the Benefits of Keeping Solitary Bees?

apple, landscape red, apple orchard
Excellent pollinators! One mason bee
can do the work of 60 honey bees.
Very gentle. Solitary bees don't have a "hive mind." They are docile and unlikely to sting. Males don't have stingers at all. If a female stings, it would feel more like a mosquito bite than a wasp or honey bee sting.
blanket, grass, green
Lower maintenance than honey bees.
Mason bees require about 2 hours of cumulative work a year.

What are the Downsides of Keeping Solitary Bees?

  • Short lives. Mason and leafcutter bees only live 4-6 weeks. You can choose when to release your bees and stagger their release.
  • They don't travel as far as honey bees. They need pollen, nectar, water, mud or leaves, and a nesting site all within about 300ft.
  • Parasites, pests, and predators. There are simple steps you can take to help protect your bees and keep them healthy.
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