Spined mason bee
The spined mason bee is a small bee that makes its nest inside an empty snail shell. It has two tiny thorns on its back, which give it its name. It loves flowers from the daisy family.
How big is it?
How long is it?
How big is Spined mason bee compared to YOU?
Just maths in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
How fast is it?
Fun facts
It builds its nest in empty snail shells and seals the rooms with a paste of chewed leaves.
It flies only in summer, from early June to the middle of August.
It has been found high in the Alps, up to 2,000 metres.
Its name means "a little thorny", because of the small thorns on its back.
Most asked questions about Spined mason bee
?Where does the spined mason bee make its nest?
Inside empty snail shells, which it closes with a paste of chewed leaves.
?What flowers does the spined mason bee visit?
Only flowers of the daisy family, such as thistles, chamomile and chicory.
?How big is the spined mason bee?
It is about 7 to 8 millimetres long.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Osmia spinulosa
- Group
- Bees and bumblebees
- Family
- Megachilidae
- Classification
- Insecta > Hymenoptera > Megachilidae
- Lives on
- Europe, Asia
Where the facts come from
- Osmia spinulosa (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by ChrisMoWiki. CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. The sticker of this bug is drawn from this picture.
If we got something wrong, sorry, we are bug fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
Bug Wiki honey jar For grown-ups: Bug Wiki is free, with no ads and no tracking. A small tip helps keep it online.Leave a tip
Western honey bee
Buff-tailed bumblebee
Violet carpenter bee
Giant honey bee
Wallace's giant bee
Himalayan giant honey bee
Arizona walkingstick
Rock grayling
Sesriem scorpion
Mallow scrub-hairstreak
Sawfinger scorpion
Slim Mexican mantis