Mason Bee Box Program

To bring attention to the decline in bees throughout North America and to improve pollination within our community, mason bee boxes have been installed at Rotary Park, Diefenbaker Park and Ernie Burnett Park (located off of Ferry Road and Brigantine Road in Ladner) and the Delta Nature Reserve (located adjacent to the sunken tractor).

What is a bee box?

A bee box consists of stacked pieces of wood or plastic on a raised platform. Small holes are drilled into the wood or plastic to provide a home for the bees. The bee box faces southeast to maximize morning sun exposure. There are approximately 40-100 bees within a bee box that will live there from May to August. The bee box will be maintained by a trained mason bee keeper.

Why mason bees?

Mason bees can be found all over Delta. They are solitary bees that do not make honey. Since mason bees do not make honey they do not swarm and are very gentle creatures. Male mason bees do not have stingers and in a typical bee box there are only two females for every ten males. A mason bee will only sting if handled roughly or if trapped under clothing.

Mason bees are hairy and busy animals. A bee may travel up to 500m from its home pollinating 75 flowers per trip. To collect enough food for one mason bee egg an adult must make 25 trips. At 75 flowers per trip that's 1875 flowers pollinated. A standard bee box may house up to 80 eggs requiring the pollination of 150,000 flowers.

Where in Delta?

Mason bee boxes have been installed at Rotary Park, Diefenbaker Park,  Ernie Burnett Park and the Delta Nature Reserve. These locations have been chosen based upon food availability for the bees and public access. The bee boxes will be active from May to August.

Where do the bees go after the summer?

When the bee boxes are cleaned the bee keeper will collect the eggs and store them in the fridge. Mason bee eggs prefer to over-winter in a cool dark spot like the corner in the fridge.

How can you help?

Make your garden bee friendly by planting flowers, fruits and vegetables that will flower from spring to summer. This will ensure that bees of all varieties have a steady food supply throughout the season. Avoid the application of pesticides and herbicides that may kill bees.

For more information:

• See Delta's Hobby Beekeeping Bylaw
• See 'Feed the Bees' - a community campaign to encourage a healthy and sustainable bee population
• Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
• Biodiversity BC