Unlike the honeybee (Apis mellifera), the mason bee (Osmia sp.) belongs to the family Megachilidae. These bees are similar in size to the common bee. Bees have an organ called scopa which serves to carry the pollen. In the common bee scopa is located on the hind legs, but almost all of the family Megachilidae bees, among which is the bee Mason has the scopa in the abdomen. So sometimes you can see variations in the intensity and color of the abdomen of the bees, because of the color and amount of pollen they carry.
These bees are solitary and unlike other secretions used not to build their nests, but use a variety of materials, depending on species concerned. Shells can be used, cut sheets or even mud, hence the name mason bees.
Adults usually appear in spring but sometimes if they are not very cold winters may be earlier. After mating the males die, females that are responsible for the construction nest and provisioning.
The mason bee chooses the nest site carefully, discarding those places that seem less conducive to choose only the best. Once he has held or built the nest (depending on species) deposited a mixture of saliva and pollen in the bottom of it and immediately lay an egg. Later builds a separation wall and repeat to fill the nest hole, when he sealed the entrance with a new outer wall thicker and stronger than the interiors. Sometimes the process is restarted with a new nest.
The larvae consume the food placed in the nest in late summer and reached its peak larvae. Then build a cocoon where they spend the pupal stage. After this phase, the adults hibernate to emerge, usually in spring.
absence of confirmation by an entomologist, the attached copy of the photograph appears to be a female of Osmia cornuta in the process of provisioning the nest. This species occurs in southern and central Europe, northern Belgium and parts of Holland.
Since the genus Osmia bees need to grab a lot of pollen is considered a major pollinators of plants. This has not gone unnoticed by the man and the proof is used in agriculture as an agent pollination of crops. In the United States and Japan are used copies of Osmia lignaria for pollination of fruit trees. Recently in Spain have made theses and studies on the importance and use of Osmia sp. and their use in agriculture (see penultimate link).
can find more information on the following links:
- http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/inse006/inse006.htm (O. lignaria agricultural uses. English)
- http://www .raco.cat/index.php/Orsis/article/viewFile/24289/89436 (Analysis of nests of some species of Osmia)
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