Postponed until Sunday, April 12th!

From tree swallow nest boxes to western screech owl homes, we are always happy to get together and add to the habitat on SḴŦAḴ | Mayne Island. This time around, and just in time for spring, we are making homes for mason bees to put up in your own backyard!

Mason bees are small, metallic blue or black, solitary bees known as super-pollinators. They do not make honey, live in hives, or sting aggressively. Active in early spring, they nest in small cavities, filling holes with mud-partitioned cells for their larvae. A single mason bee can pollinate up to 100 times more effectively than a honeybee.

Native pollinator populations, such as mason bees, are in decline due to habitat loss, loss of food source, and pesticide use. Constructing and maintaining a mason bee home and providing an organic garden with plenty of pollinator-friendly plants will help support these important insects! Please note, you must be able to commit to maintaining your mason bees and home every year, which includes storing the bee cocoons in the winter and cleaning out the house. Cleaning the house is imperative to reducing predation from mites and houdini flies that can have a devastating impact on the mason bee populations in the area.

$10.00/family. Family Nature Programs are usually free, however there is a small fee for this event to help with material costs. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if the fee is a barrier!

Registration is required for attendance. Please make sure to register by Friday, April 10th.

Family Nature Explorations take place every second Sunday, with a few exceptions. Programs are geared toward children ages 3-10 and their families.