Build a Mason Bee House

This class presented is presented as part of a partnership between
the Duluth Folk School and the Duluth Community Garden Program *

During this class, you will learn the basics of native bee biology in a short presentation, with an emphasis on mason bees and other cavity-nesting bees and how to raise them in your yard. After the presentation, you will assemble a cavity-nesting bee house from a pre-cut ‘kit’ to take home with you, including 50 – 100 nesting reeds and personalized instruction about where to place your house.

Whether you are considering purchasing a starter population of mason bees or simply providing nests for those already in your area, you will receive step-by-step instruction for maintaining your population of cavity nesting bees in Northern Minnesota. Topics include nest placement, their food and nest-building needs, how to protect your bees from predators, and how to clean the nests and prepare your bees for winter.

Live mason bees will be available for you to look at, and a small collection of native bees to help you identify those that may nest in your house or forage on the flowers in your garden.

Registration Includes

Instruction and all materials. By the end of class, you’ll bring home a cavity-nesting bee house with natural nesting reeds. You’ll have knowledge of basic cavity-nesting bee biology and their importance to a healthy ecosystem; knowledge of where to place a bee house to attract native bees, how to protect them from predators and prepare them for winter

Skill Level

No prior experience needed

Best for Ages…

18 and older.

You should bring…

Just yourself!

* If you choose the “+ $10 DCGP Donation” registration option, the Duluth Community Garden Program will receive all $10 for programming support. The Duluth Folk School will be including this option for all DFS/DCGP co-presented classes this year, so the 10-15 people per class, multiplied by a year’s worth of classes could bring the DCGP important additional revenue.