The scientist in me is wary of the words “always” and “never.” Although some things are for certain—like death and taxes—“always” and “never” hoist red flags in my mind, warning me that whatever is being said needs a closer look. Sometimes concealed with a synonym, those words often accompany a flawed statement. Meat is never […] Read more
When it comes to paper straws for cavity-nesting bees, I think I’ve tried them all. But last week, I was surfing around looking for a good deal when I came across SipSticks paper straws. They claim to be BPA-free, food safe, and FDA approved. The bees like that. But the thing that attracted me was […] Read more
Wherever you find beekeepers you are likely to discover plenty of misinformation, fodder for the old joke about ten beekeepers having a dozen answers. It doesn’t even matter what kind of bees they keep, which means mason bees are no exception. Don’t get me wrong—I adore mason bees and I have kept them for ten […] Read more
Yes, you read that right. I have an irritating dog. I mean, he doesn’t think he’s irritating, but I certainly do. Yesterday, I had just planted a new bush, raked smooth the adjoining soil, and put away the tools. When I came back, the dog was standing on my work and peeing on the pristine […] Read more
Animal lovers have a lot in common. It’s the cat’s blanket or the dog’s rug, so don’t touch it! The same goes for bee lovers. In this case, the mason bees requisitioned a garbage can for their personal use. And the former owner of the garbage can, Anna Poladian-Prior of Eldersburg, Maryland, issued a similar […] Read more
After being holed up for about ten months, this Osmia lignaria male pushed the mud plug out of his paper straw and luxuriated in the sunshine. Within twenty minutes, he was out of the house and sipping at the Siberian squill in the back garden. The males always emerge first and have distinctive behavior. They […] Read more
Mason bees, leafcutting bees, and other cavity nesters are incredibly easy to please. The hype you hear about their tubes needing to be a specific diameter, or a special length, or placed in a particular location is mostly nonsense. Left alone in the wild (as they were for millennia) the bees find all types of […] Read more