8In the beginning...it was all about the honeybee, but there's another bee out there that deserves equal - if not more - recognition. A true native American, she is called the mason bee (scientific name: Osmia lignaria). She does not produce honey, but she is a master pollinator whose skills far exceed those of the honeybee. If you've got fruit trees and want more fruit, then this is the bee for you Mason Bees for the Backyard Gardener contains wonderful color photographs and illustrations. Step-by-step instructions get you started, choosing between an almost no-work method to a more involved method of winterizing your bees. In an era when people are asking "What's happening to the bees?" this book is indeed timely by focusing on a bee that requires no special equipment for its "beekeeping" criteria. This book contains information on: - What they look like - Why they're important - How to find them - How to manage them - How to create a habitat