Garden of Eatin' / Insects & Worms

Video: Watch a Mason Bee Emerge From a Cocoon

Watch a mason bee emerge from a cocoon

A few weeks ago, I received a shipment of mason bee cocoons from Crown Bees for my native bee house. I could already hear the little guys buzzing around before I’d even opened the box, and sure enough, several male bees had already emerged in transit.

Mason bees and cocoons

One, however, was just starting to wake up from his winter slumber. I was fortunate to capture his emergence on camera! The whole process took about 40 minutes, but you can watch the fascinating sequence in a shortened span of 2.5 minutes.

I just love how he preens himself in the end… wiping the sleep from his eyes (at least, that’s what I’m calling it) and getting those antennae ready for flight!

Newly emerged native bee with cocoons

About Author

I'm a plant lover, passionate road-tripper, and cookbook author whose expert advice and bestselling books have been featured in TIME, Outside, HGTV, and Food & Wine. The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook is my latest book. Garden Betty is where I write about modern homesteading, farm-to-table cooking, and outdoor adventuring—all that encompass a life well-lived outdoors. After all, the secret to a good life is... Read more »