The Maritime Mason Bee is one of our rarest species, and Lista holds 5-10% of the world population. The Maritime Mason Bee occurs with one generation a year. All winter long, the new Bees lie down in their nests near the beach, waiting for spring, sun, and warmth. The males hatch a little earlier so that they are ready when the female bees hatch. If you're a male bee, your only task is to reproduce. The female on the other hand has a lot more tasks to complete.
After learning more about her, I look at her as a hardworking architect and craftswoman. In short time, she must find time to mate, lay eggs and build a nest for her children. Like other architects, she maps out a site with good sun and wind conditions. Furthermore, she looks for areas where her children can live in peace and rest without threats from humans or other species in vegetation-free small areas. When a perfect site is found, like this one, which is where she was last observed in June 2022, the plot quickly turns into a construction site. She carefully digs a tunnel in the sand 1-3 cm below the surface. To mason the nest it has been observed, in Norway, that she makes her own building material using chewed fireweed leaves mixed with saliva. When a home is made she collects nectar for her children to survive until next spring. But she can’t fly very far, often no longer than 150 meters.
As part of my diploma this intervention is therefore a marking of her territory. To mark the territory, aluminium poles are placed in a circle at 150 metres distance from her home, reflecting her maximum flight range. The poles are produced at the aluminium plant located directly outside the preservation area, an example of the composite condition of the site. Plants she collects nectar from are planted in concentric circles inside the perimeter of the poles, improving her habitat to prevent the maritime mason bee from extinction. Together the poles create a new horizon with a height of 15 metres above sea level, contrasting the undulating landscape it sits in and at the same time visually marking the bee's existence for us humans.
Supervisors Matthew Anderson and Lisbeth Funck