The weather is warm, most of the spring flowers have passed, and some of the late spring plants are beginning to bloom. This is bringing out the bees. The Mesquite tree in our backyard is starting to bloom and the bees are buzzing. In a previous posts, I was making native bee condos and placing some around my house.
Well…it’s starting to happen. The bees are beginning to take up residency on some of the holes. I didn’t have to advertise on craigslist or put a “for rent” sign up. They found the bee condo themselves.
Here is a picture of one of my new tenants.
She wasn’t bothered by me snapping away with the camera. It didn’t even seem to faze her. But why would it. These bees are not aggressive. I think she is happy she found a good nesting site, next to the Mesquite tree, AND it’s rent free. The dog hair above her nest is part of the package. Who wouldn’t want that deal?
I will keep you all posted as to the status of the bee condo tenants.
So, how are your bee condos doing?
Anna's Bee World 
i’m ashamed to say…i don’t have an actual condo.
i have some duplex type thingies. there are a couple bees in there.
By: goodbear on April 20, 2009
at 5:04 am
goodbear, I will provide the bee condo, but if you want dog hair on it, you gotta provide that yourself.
By: buzzybeegirl on April 20, 2009
at 4:32 pm
Hi, Anna! I posted a bee picture today. Its got wings and fur and everything!
I am happy for your condos and bees. Bet you’ll have full occupancy soon!
By: Checkers on April 20, 2009
at 10:31 am
I was planning at stopping at my local lumber yard on my way home from photographing some flowers at a local public garden.
While there I was very harassed by a handful of bumble bees during the course of the morning. I was just minding my business…..walking the trail….looking for flowers to photograph when they would come round buzzing like crazy and zooming around me.
I’m beginning to have second thoughts about a bee condo in my own back garden…
By: forkboy on April 21, 2009
at 1:37 am
forkboy, bumblebees are like honeybees. They have a hive, though not quite as large as a honeybee hive, but it is a hive and a caste system. Social bees that have hives are usually more aggressive than the solitary bees that the bee condos will attract. It is because the workers of hives are protecting the hive. For the social bees, they want to protect the bees in the hive since they are highly related. They are trying to pass on their genes. Solitary bees, which is what the condos will only attract, do not have a hive. It’s just them, so it is not worth being aggressive. If that one bee dies there is no one there to take care of her offspring. Still have doubts?
By: buzzybeegirl on April 21, 2009
at 5:15 am
Oh, I always have doubts. That’s what one gets when they were stung at least five or six times every year when living in Florida.
But I’ll digest this and contemplate further…
By: forkboy on April 22, 2009
at 6:38 pm