Don't use pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, sprays, or any other sort of chemical in your yard--even if the bees come, those things will kill them, and in some cases, they take the poisons back to the hive, where more bees can get killed.

Then, plant the kinds of flowers that blossom for a long time. Bees love sages. I have pineapple sage and anise sage, which in my zone bloom for about nine months, and the bees are constant visitors to those plants.

The bees in your plant trays--maybe those are orchard bees?

Here is a link that might be useful: NRDC on bees

Thanks, Marina. My yard is completely chemical free so I'm happy to help there. I'll get some sages; I had no idea that bees are so fond of them. And thanks for the link! Maureen

You are welcome! I believe that bees love all sages (salvia spp.), not just the two I mentioned. Most salvias are very hardy--even after freezing to the ground in a hard freeze a few years back, mine came back fine in the spring.

I also have a lot of crocosmia plants, which blossom on long, flower-filled stems for quite a while and which the bees and hummingbirds also love. However, it spreads like a weed and is very hard to control. Though you could plant it in containers...

Here is a link that might be useful: Sages native to California

marina - would you be interested in trading some of those crocosmias for something on my soon-to-be-updated trade list? Let me know! Thanks, Maureen

Hey, todancewithwolves, I just planted some cosmos the other day! So I'm making progress. I like your mason bee house...does it need to be placed on a particular side of a shed? Can it go on a tree? Thanks!

A very good way to encourage bees is to plant blue flowers. Blue hyssop (Agastache) is a favorite.

That's great, Mommamamo! Cosmo attracts butterflies and skippers as well.

I have the bee house in a location where it doesn't receive direct sun. So far three new holes have been plugged with mud *whoo hoo!*

Edna

Great info. Because we've had so few honeybees in our urban yard the past 2 years, I'm trying to encourage the mason bees. They've been busy working our fruit trees which are nearly through blooming now.
I set out a series of those plastic stacking trays with carboard tubing inside of a wooden case, but I fear I may be too late to encourage nesting.
Is it important to store the nests inside a building over the winter?

Blue flowers! I can plant blue flowers. Thanks so much everybody!

I have a related question and I hope I don't look silly for asking.

I've had Carpenter bees living in my mailbox post (it's covered with Clematis) for the last 6+ years. I'm really attached to them. LOL

Anyway, we will be moving one day and I'm afraid that they may not be as appreciated by others so I'm wondering how would I get the bees to move into a bee house from the mailbox post? My plan is to relocate them to our new house but I just don't know how to get them to move. LOL (This will obviously take place during the winter season.)

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I enjoy the tips I've read here. Despite following everything on the list including the sages (although I rarely use a commercial fungicide when chamomile tea just won't do the job, but sparingly as my garden is of the edible variety), I've yet to even see a honeybee this spring. The few bumble bees I've seen stumble around drunkenly and die.

I've got trees in full bloom and nothing buzzing about them. This is getting depressing.

teryaki,
Have you considered becoming a beekeeper? While you are attracting mason bees, why not investigate getting a hive and a colony next spring? You can have bees in the city, the suburbs and the country. You will most certainly have bees in your plants, and by year one maybe a few pounds of honey. By year two, you'll have more honey than you can eat!

I just started last spring, it is more fun than gardening. Watching all those little buggers work and fly all day; there's nothing more relaxing.

Marie

Actually, I'm considering it right at the moment. The big deterrent is expense, and beyond that, I might have to move to Chicago soon for career reasons. I'm going to miss this property terribly, it borders right on a small wildlife preserve around a Cuyahoga tributary creek, and a quiet public park. If the bees aren't here, I can't imagine where they'd be.

It's not just my yard that's suffering a lack of bees, I haven't seen them anywhere while riding.

I'm trying to find some local support that might mitigate the expense... Closest I've found so far is two counties away.

The least expensive way to go would be top bar hives. If you are slightly handy you can build your own. Check it out at beesource.com
(Marie, How are things going out east?) Our willows are leafing out and the bees have been working a flowering ornamental down the street. Tony

Hmm, yes... I could build that!

Well, that would leave the bees. I'll keep pick around, maybe I can get a source from a neighboring county... There don't seem to be any beekeeping organizations here, for whatever reason!

Thanks for the suggestions!

Ah, check that, I've finally found my county association! :)

Tonybeeguy,
I have a short post somewhere here something like "lost hives, starting over" I thought you might have missed it, figuring I could count on you for some sympathy over my losing my hive. My "guest hive" (refugees from someone's idiot pesticide spraying neighbors and neanderthal selectmen)died too. My supplier lost a large number of colonies.
I don't know if I mentioned in that post that I was able to get about 10 pounds from the honeysuper, with a good amount of built out foundation ready in the brood chamber.

Sad, we found the queen surrounded by a small group of bees; valiant effort but they all froze, I suppose.

Well, I got a beekeeper to come out and take a look. He seemed interested, but, later told me he'd checked "pollution maps" and that I was just too close to the city.

He also poo-pooed top bar hives, that they wouldn't be warm enough.

Now, I know that there are people keeping bees on urban rooftops, so I thought that my past-the-outerbelt suburban yard lousy with wildflowers, songbirds and deer would be able to support bees. I guess I'm just looking for a second opinion now.

Yeah... I think I'd bee looking for a second opinion too!
Those 'ole pesky "pollution maps" will to it to ya every time! Beekeepers are notorious for being on the fringe anyway; but it sounds like you've got hold of a real fringe... I think I'd look for a beekeeper whose a little more "main stream" (or at least someone who knows what they're talking about!).

I second txbeeguy's opinion on the second opinion. I live in a "city" (smallest in Massachusetts), of about 15,ooo people. We're maybe 3/4 mile from main street and average 5 hives in the back yard. Out of curiosity, I just went out and measured and the hives are 25 yards from the back door. Part of the yard is almost level, then slopes up to where the hives are. The elevation at the back is around 8 to 10 ft higher than at the back door. There's a house on either side about 15 ft between. everything works out fine

Thanks guys. I'm going to keep learning, and make plans for taking a proper run at this next spring.

I have a whole bunch of Miner Bees in my front garden. You could have some of those if you want. The number in the garden seems to have doubled over the last year and the bees have started setting up in my neighbors yard as well. I sat on my steps yesterday and watched several Queens fly off with some drones. It's been fun watching them over the last couple of weeks. First I saw two or three now it's like two or three hundred.

Teryaki, I saw a post where you talked about Faith Swanson as your aunt. Do you live near her??? What was the name of her book?
thanks....