Rent Mason & Leafcutter Bees

The city of Mountain Brook partnered with Rent Mason Bees to rent Leafcutter bees for the city hall garden.  At the appropriate time of year (as to temperature in Mountain Brook) the bee larva were shipped to us in a hibernating state, inside a small nesting cavity box.  The nesting box was placed in a sunny location in the pollinator garden just before it was time for the baby bees to emerge.  

The bees emerged and began the process of mating and lining the cavities in the box with leaves from the garden (see photo of leaf cut-outs from the garden's milkweed plant).  Then the female bees laid their eggs in the box cavities.  Once this cycle was complete the box cavity was shipped back to Rent Mason Bees, where the cocoons were harvested and stored for the winter, to be shipped out in the spring to farmers and home gardens for pollination!  In the spring the city will receive a new, clean nesting box with Leafcutter bee larva waiting to emerge!

OBA Certified (Orchard Bee Association)

How to Host Mason and Leafcutter Bees

For more information on how to Rent Mason and Leafcutter Bees

Rent Mason & Leafcutter Bees Blog