Red mason bees nesting

Several red mason bees have been visiting the bee hotel the last few days.

These bees pair up (they are solitary rather than social) and lay their eggs in special cells constructed in the hollow tubes in the bee hotel.

The red mason bees carry mud to make then cells and deposit and egg and food in each.

They will eventually block off the end of the tube protecting the eggs until next spring when the new adult bees will emerge.