All about Mason Bees

Pollination with Mason Bees

Rosina T. Schmidt

Mason bees use mud or similar “masonry” products in constructing their nest, and no wonder they are known under that name besides being called “orchard bees” as they are good pollinators in the orchard.

Mason Bees schedule for their care:

January

Prepare the nests (mason bee houses)
February

Set the nests outside, but refrigerate the cocoons until they need to be released, depending on plants to be pollinated.
March 

When you see the first dandelion blooming set some of the cocoons outside for release.
April

Depending on blossom presence add additional nests. If you use the nests with tubes, remove  the tubes that bees have already sealed and replace them with fresh tubes. Store the sealed tubes in a metal container with air holes, so no mice, etc. have access to them.
May

Protect from rain. Keep harvesting sealed tubes.
June

To protect nests from predators use chicken wire. Keep harvesting sealed tubes, and replace   with fresh tubes. Orchard bees are usually active for about six weeks only.
July

Protect from parasitic wasps using netting. Or store the nests in the garage, by making sure    that all the sealed tubes are stored in a metal container with air holes.
August

If the nests are still outside, protect them from extreme heat.
September

Protect nests from rain if they are still outdoors.
October

Collect nests. Harvest the cocoons. Clean the nest. Store the cocoons.
November

Check cocoons for mold and predation.
December

 In extreme cold temperature it is best to take the last nests inside if not done so before.
 

Other types of pollinators, as listed by the Pollination Ecology Lab at SFU:

https://www.sfu.ca/people/eelle/bee_info.html 

                     

                  

                         

                            

                             

                         

                             

                        

                 

                      

                 

                 

 

 

 

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