Building a Bee House
While many of us are familiar with honey bees and their hives, most people are unaware that the majority of bee species are solitary!
The Sonoran Desert region in the southwestern United States is home to over 1,000 different species of solitary bees, which play a vital role in pollinating native flowers.
In collaboration with the Tucson Audubon Society, Freeport-McMoRan, the North American Monarch SAFE program, and the North American Songbird SAFE program, Reid Park Zoo is constructing a pollinator garden near the Conservation Learning Center in order to provide food and habitat for native pollinators.
You can join us in supporting native pollinators by choosing to plant native flowering plants at home. You can help solitary bees even more by creating a house for mason bees to place in your balcony or yard. Mason bees are solitary bees that nest in the holes they find in wood. The female will put a mixture of pollen and nectar in the hole where she will lay her eggs. You can purchase pre-made houses or make one yourself out of wood, bamboo, or even a coffee can and cardboard. This is a wonderful way to help pollinators and bring nature to your home.