2 MILLION BLOSSOMS An emerged pair of Megachile aurifrons the main users that inhabit bee hotels.1 They are small to
large-bodied bees, beautifully designed for pollination as fe- males have scopae – the specialized hairs for collecting pol- len – on the underside of their abdomen. A perfect spot for - pied by megachilids are capped by leaf discs (Megachile (Eu- tricharaea) spp
and masticated plant material (Megachile spp
.), mud (Osmia), or mixtures of resin, sand, .). Afranthidium
such that the material resembles cotton wool. In addition to the megachilids, other bees that check in to bee hotels are species in the subfamily Hylaeinae, family Colletidae.2
These bees lack the fuzzy bodies most people
typically associate with bees. Instead they often have shiny, naked, black bodies with yellow or white facial markings, so they’re often mistaken for wasps. Many sport a yellow “badge” on their thorax, as well as a yellow collar or yellow legs.
Instead of transporting pollen on their bodies using specialized branched hairs called scopea, hyaline bees swal- low pollen. Like all colletids, they line their nests with cel- lophane-like secretions produced from their mandibular glands. They seal their nests with this same substance. Nature designs ingenious solutions: these secretions, formed from polyester, are thick, strong, waterproof, and insoluble in dif- and various chemicals. Bioengineers want to synthesize this material as a biodegradable alternative to plastics. Which particular genera and species use bee hotels de- pends primarily upon the region (i.e. there are no Osmia in Australia, whereas Meroglossa are not found outside of Australia). In addition, it seems that some species like to be “all natural” and eschew the man-made structures proffered, whereas other bees think that bee hotels are “the bee’s knees.”
As Every Realtor Selling a Home Knows: Location, Location, Location You have the perfect bee hotel, but how do you get bees to
check in? Location matters just as much to bees as it does to us humans. Install your bee hotels 3 to 6 feet off the ground, hanging them under eaves or on tree branches. Bees prefer sunny locations, so don’t hide your bee hotel in the shade. Pick a sunny spot that receives morning light. Avoid hang- ing them where they will cook in direct midday sun, as that can boil the developing larvae inside. And while you want to check on your bee hotel to see if any residents have moved in, try not to place it right in a steady stream of human foot many big bipeds stroll by on a regular basis.
Megachile monstrosa male with his big fuzzy forearms
42
© Kit Prendergast
© Kit Prendergast
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