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  • Red Mason Bee

  • General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #2249  by AdamD
 08 Mar 2019, 13:02
I received a text yesterday asking whether I knew where someone could buy the cocoons of the Red Mason Bee, Osmia rufa, as he wanted to become a Mason Bee breeder.
Any suggestions?
 #2250  by Jim Norfolk
 08 Mar 2019, 14:00
Lovely little bee. I believe it is now called Osmia bicornis. I wasn't aware there was a market for them. I was bought a Red Mason Bee kit many years ago, comprising a piece of 4 inch plastic pipe blanked at one end and a load of paper tubes and a set of instructions. I just hung it on a wall in the sun and soon had lots of solitary bees house hunting. They are very widespread and it should be possible to find them in most parts of the Uk except the far north. Useful info here: http://www.bwars.com/sites/www.bwars.com/files/info_sheets/04_Osmia_bicornis_20120321.pdf

https://osmiabee.com/ sell bee cocoons and everything you need. Unfortunately it is in the USA. Maybe the person is hoping to set up a similar business in UK.
 #2259  by NigelP
 08 Mar 2019, 17:45
They need a special mud, plus holes and forage. If you haven't got "their" mud you don't get mason bees....like where I live.
You can buy the mud from Amazon and other retailers.
And no I am not joking.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crown-Bees-Mason-Accessories-Mixture/dp/B00P0XF2BE
 #2261  by Chrisbarlow
 08 Mar 2019, 17:58
NigelP wrote:
08 Mar 2019, 17:45
They need a special mud, plus holes and forage. If you haven't got "their" mud you don't get mason bees....like where I live.
You can buy the mud from Amazon and other retailers.
And no I am not joking.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crown-Bees-Mason-Accessories-Mixture/dp/B00P0XF2BE
I must admit I thought there was an element of mockery intended