Mason bees hard at work....see the little black bees in the tubes? They're filling them with larvae, and one tube's already full! I just love to see this activity...I always leave the "release box" on the bottom of the nest til' July at least, in case some are slow to emerge from last year's tubes. Then just leave the house up til' September or so, bring it indoors, put the full tubes in the release box, and store it in the fridge til' next spring. When I very first started this, I had two bees hatch in the fridge, likely due to coming from another climate. But for the last 4 years or so, they are on "my schedule", and no more fridge bees. As for the reported "domestic bee die-off", I found this link....
...over at Phelan's blog,
http://a-homesteading-neophyte.blogspot.com/ .....and this link suggests that the dying bees are actually over-medicated and fumigated, which is likely the problem because organically raised bees are experiencing no such die-offs. Interesting....have a look....
This concept does not surprise me, and I find it encouraging that a bee die-off is caused by something completely within our control. As for me and mine, it's "organic" all the way!
6 comments:
could you please - when you get a moment - write more about this board thing with holes in it?
What are you doing exactly?
Hank
No problem, Hank-it's already done! Just click on the "mason bees" category in my labels section, and you can see all my previous posts on the subject. (There will be a quiz on Friday! Hahahahaha!)
Amy Stewart has a big post on mason bees on her blog too. Of course, you blogged them first several weeks/months ago.
(when I want cutting edge, I know to come to mrimomma)
Thanks Chuck! I'm glad to see more people encouraging/housing pollinators. It's been a completely positive experience for me-easy to keep and maintain, plus pollination assistence for all of my plants, which gives me more blooms and fruits/veggies! No downside whatsoever.
Very cool. Thanks for filling me in. I had no idea there was such an easy way to have pet bees!
Anytime! These are definately the very most beneficial and low-maintenance pets I've EVER had, bar none! Even the worm bin is more work. :)
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