Finally, the bee plasters a thick mud plug at the entrance. Starting the life cycle in the spring, adult males emerge from plugs first, but must wait for the later appearance of the females in order to mate. Females alone begin founding new nests in holes to make a row of five to 10 cells in each nest. Females collect the pollen and nectar and lay eggs. Their short foraging range is about 100 yards from the nest.
Activity continues for four to six weeks and then the adults die.
During the summer, larvae develop inside the nests, make cocoons, and become new adults resting in the cells. With the onset of fall, the adults become dormant as they go into hibernation. These bees require some cold temperatures before spring in order to break their dormancy. The native eastern species of Orchard Mason bee will nest in holes drilled in a wooden block. A smaller hole encourages higher production of male bees which reduces the reproductive potential of the population.