Blue-Orchard Mason Bees

One of the 4000 native bee species of North America, the Blue Orchard Mason bee (O. lignaria) is an important pollinator of fruit trees. This species is further subdivided into two subspecies, and it can be found throughout Canada and the US. These bees can be identified by their distinctive metallic-blue coloration.

Photo by Jim Rivers, OSU College of Forestry, https://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonstateuniversity/50829656826/

Social Structure + Nesting

Blue Orchard Mason Bees are solitary, meaning they do not form large, social colonies. Instead, individual female bees forage for pollen and nectar, construct a nest, and lay eggs. These bees nest in holes and crevices found in nature, and use clay to make the partitions within their nests. Even though these bees are solitary, they often will build their individual nests near each other. 

Pollination

These bees carry pollen on their bellies (rather than on their hind legs like honey bees). Because these bees are native to North America, they have evolved interdependent relationships with the plants and flowers they pollinate, making them efficient pollinators. Blue Orchard Mason Bee are known for visiting fruit trees, such as apples, plums, pears, almonds, and peaches, and are one of the few native pollinator species that is managed in agriculture.