mason bee

American  

noun

1. any of numerous solitary bees, as of the family Megachilidae, that construct nests of clay.

---

mason bee British  

noun

1. any bee of the family Megachilidae that builds a hard domelike nest of sand, clay, etc, held together with saliva

---

Etymology

Origin of mason bee

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

A mason bee builds the roof of its nest while memorising landmarks around it so it was able to find the nest again.

From BBC • Aug. 30, 2023

Customers pay $75 for 50 to 60 mason bee cocoons, a nesting block and a wooden house.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 7, 2023

In 2022, Crown Bees of Woodinville, a major mason bee supplier, found Houdini fly maggots in 25% to 35% of places where you’d find mason bee cocoons.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 7, 2023

A trellis originally built for grapes now is home to a Purple Hyacinth Bean plant that weaves up and around a neighboring mason bee box, and is grown as an ornamental.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 13, 2018

Applying its cupping glass to the mason bee, the worm, without delay, began its meal, which lasts another fortnight.

From The Life of the fly; with which are interspersed some chapters of autobiography by Teixeira de Mattos, Alexander