Mason Bees are extraordinary pollinators who are native to Colorado. You may know them as “Orchard Bees” because orchard growers love to have them pollinating their fruit. Mason Bees are shy and do not sting even though they are capable of stinging. Due to pesticides and herbicides in our environment and disappearing habitat, mason bees, along with other pollinators, are in peril. You can help by refraining from using harmful chemicals in your yard and by creating habitat for these charming little creatures. This is as easy as purchasing a Bee Box from EarthLinks!

So how does a Mason Bee Box help? By providing crucial habitat! Here’s how it works:

The female Mason Bee will mate and look for a suitable nesting site such as a hole in a tree left by a woodpecker or a hole drilled into the blocks of a Bee Box. Once she finds a suitable site she will gather mud and begin making a cell in the deepest part of the hole. She will then gather pollen and nectar from the spring flowers such as apple blossoms. An egg will be laid on top of the pollen and nectar and then she will seal that space off with a mud wall and then repeat this process over and over until she has filled the hole with 6-10 cells. After completing this important task, she will die.

An EarthLinks Mason Bee Box with holes filled and capped in the spring.

The eggs will sit still for 1-3 weeks before hatching. Larvae will then feed for up to 10 days on the pollen and nectar left for them by their mother. This larva will change into a pupa and remain in hibernation through the winter. When the weather warms up in the spring, the males will begin to emerge by chewing their way out of the cocoons and through the mud plugs. The females, which are almost always in the inner cells of the tunnel, emerge several days later. Within a few days, they will begin the whole process over again.

By purchasing a Bee Box made of reclaimed wood from EarthLinks, you become a part of this process! You have the privilege of offering precious habitat for Mason Bees. By hanging a Bee Box in your backyard, you are showing care and concern for these beautiful pollinators in peril.

Join the fun at a Garden Tour starting at the EarthLinks’ Garden at 2828 Larimer, Denver, CO  80205, or at 8142 W. 22nd Way, Lakewood, CO 80214-5506!  Cost is $10.00 in advance or $12.00 at the door.  All proceeds benefit EarthLinks!  See the rain barrels, bat boxes and bee boxes in person, along with composting and beekeeping information!  Time is from 9 am to 2 pm on August 28, 2010.  More than 20 gardens are participating!

Tickets can be purchased by calling the office, 303-389-0085 or from our on-line Shop

Our 6^th annual fundraising event, “Bee the Change – In Support of EarthLinks!” was held on September 24, 2009 at the Park Hill Golf Club, where 125 guests enjoyed a spirited evening of fellowship, good food, fun bidding on a wide variety of donated items, and zesty live music by the Prairie Chickens. The event raised over $20,000. to support our programs. Thanks to all who attended, donated items, and helped sponsor “Bee the Change!” Click here to see photos of the event.

We established a new award in honor of EarthLinks’ co-foundresses, Bette Ann Jaster, OP,  and Cathy Mueller, SL, and presented this to them with moving tributes in gratitude for their vision, creativity and contributions to EarthLinks.  Bette Ann and Cathy have both moved on to take other leadership positions in their respective religious orders, Cathy in 2006 and Bette Ann in 2009. The Foundress’ Award will be given in future years to others “who provide outstanding service to EarthLinks.”  To read more about our history…

Other highlights of the evening were hearing about the life-changing impacts of our programs from one of the GreenFingers’ participants, Darlene B., and announcing the winners of the Bee Box competition. We received 12 extremely creative and diverse entries in our first-ever contest to build and donate Bee Boxes, which were auctioned at Bee the Change, with the award-winning designs sold in the live auction. Thanks to all our contestants! See all the wonderful entries and prize-winners here.

The winners are: Best Use of Recycled and Reused Materials went to Jane Belanger for her gourd bee box, with Runners-Up in this category to Terry and Pam Schmidt for their striped bee boxes. The Youngest Builder was Isabel Brunner, age 13, for her high-rise bee box built with her Mom and sister. Best Family Collaboration was awarded to the Hesser family for their Gnome Invasion, and the award for Outstanding Design went to Mark Olsen for his Bee Block Douglas Fir bee box.

We also unveiled new EarthLinks products, including the EarthLinks’ bee box design

EarthLinks Bee Boxes

Rain/Irrigation Barrels

and Rain/Gravity-Irrigation Barrels.   To purchase these or any of are our products click here…

Over 60 businesses and dozens of individuals donated items for the auction. Major sponsors for the event were Centura Health,  Roger Nittler & Co., CPA,  the St. Anthony Health Foundation, the Dominican Sisters of Hope, the Sisters of Loretto, Wellspring Trust, Steele St. Bank and Trust, and many other individuals and friends.  Many thanks to all of our generous sponsors, donors and friends.