It is the biggest difference between the honeybee and its wild sisters: mason bees do not produce honey. But why is that?
Mason bees do not need to store large provisions
Honeybees collect nectar to make honey as a food supply. This allows the bee colony to survive the winter well-provisioned. Mason bees and other wild bees only need to store a small supply for their offspring, as these hibernate in their cocoons and do not need to maintain a complex state.
Mason bees need the nectar immediately
During their short lives, the females collect pollen and nectar, from which they form pollen loaves for the next generation. Mason bees need most of the nectar as fuel for the strenuous flights between flowers and the nest. Making honey from nectar would not be sensible for wild bees.
Mason bees are solitary
Unlike honeybees, which share work in a colony of up to 50,000 individuals, each mason bee must provide for itself and its offspring. Pollen and nectar are sufficient for this.