What is a Bee?
Orchard Mason Bees
Orchard mason bees (Osmia lignaria) are great for pollinating fruit trees. These trees flower in the spring when it can be cool and wet, but mason bees don't mind such weather. Mason bees are efficient pollinators because they collect nectar and pollen at the same time.
These shiny, dark blue bees are smaller than honeybees and live alone. The females lay their eggs in a narrow hole that they seal with mud. That's why they are called mason bees!