I imagine this spot eight months ago, as I watched bumblebees, mason bees and sweat bees forage among them. Back then, in June, the world was exploding with sounds and colors, insects on the wing, and ...

Mason bees use holes in old wood or thick stems for nesting, so hogweed and brambles make good homes for them. A wood pile will make a safe home for various bees and other invertebrates.

The blue orchard mason bee is an efficient pollinator of fruit ... There are 46 species in North America, and most nest in holes in the ground, under fallen logs or in old rodent burrows.