Comments on: Mason Bees for Wildlife Gardens http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/mason-bees-for-wildlife-gardens/ creating a habitat garden Sat, 30 Jul 2011 03:40:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Dave Hunter http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/mason-bees-for-wildlife-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-4525 Dave Hunter Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:19:50 +0000 http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/?p=1863#comment-4525 Thanks Karl. It's all about trying to keep our crops pollinated. The suburban gardeners may well hold the key to many orchard's future. If the gardener can raise mason bees in enough abundance that they'd be willing to share them with neighboring orchards in need of pollination, we'll be successful. Dave Thanks Karl. It’s all about trying to keep our crops pollinated. The suburban gardeners may well hold the key to many orchard’s future.

If the gardener can raise mason bees in enough abundance that they’d be willing to share them with neighboring orchards in need of pollination, we’ll be successful.

Dave

]]> By: Karyl http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/mason-bees-for-wildlife-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-3827 Karyl Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:58:34 +0000 http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/?p=1863#comment-3827 thanks for the link. Usually I don't post to commercial sites but you guys have put up a good deal of valuable information. I read through it and it helped me to understand what I was looking at with my wintering tubes. thanks for the link. Usually I don’t post to commercial sites but you guys have put up a good deal of valuable information. I read through it and it helped me to understand what I was looking at with my wintering tubes.

]]> By: Dave Hunter http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/mason-bees-for-wildlife-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-2014 Dave Hunter Sat, 20 Nov 2010 20:07:44 +0000 http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/?p=1863#comment-2014 I'm glad to see people caring so much about the pollination challenge we face. The Blue Orchard Bee is one of the easiest mason bees to manage. (at first!) There are about 120 other species in the US as well. A couple of points. It's easy to start a colony, but to be successful, you need to watch the health of colony. This is easy to do and you can find out the steps in our website http://www.crownbees.com under the gardener/harvest section. Our intent is for you to succeed! Also, bring your straws/tubes/reeds out of the environment in early June. If you're looking to raise other mason bees (who also use straws), you don't want a later species using the back half of a partially filled tube from a spring mason bee. In the following spring, the interior mason bees emerge and will chew through all exterior straw species on their way out. :( Thanks! Dave I’m glad to see people caring so much about the pollination challenge we face. The Blue Orchard Bee is one of the easiest mason bees to manage. (at first!) There are about 120 other species in the US as well.

A couple of points.

It’s easy to start a colony, but to be successful, you need to watch the health of colony. This is easy to do and you can find out the steps in our website http://www.crownbees.com under the gardener/harvest section. Our intent is for you to succeed!

Also, bring your straws/tubes/reeds out of the environment in early June. If you’re looking to raise other mason bees (who also use straws), you don’t want a later species using the back half of a partially filled tube from a spring mason bee. In the following spring, the interior mason bees emerge and will chew through all exterior straw species on their way out. :(

Thanks!

Dave

]]> By: Karyl http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/mason-bees-for-wildlife-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-64 Karyl Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:57:54 +0000 http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/?p=1863#comment-64 Try searching for beekeeper forums, frequently they have a for sale section that includes non-honey bees. Sometimes local people will sell tubes of larvae. I don't really know any particular message boards to recommend, it's just something I looked at when trying to learn about Masons. Try searching for beekeeper forums, frequently they have a for sale section that includes non-honey bees. Sometimes local people will sell tubes of larvae. I don’t really know any particular message boards to recommend, it’s just something I looked at when trying to learn about Masons.

]]> By: wiseace http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/mason-bees-for-wildlife-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-63 wiseace Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:44:02 +0000 http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/?p=1863#comment-63 Sigh, mason bees sold out. I'll make some nesting blocks and see if there are any natives around. Sigh, mason bees sold out.

I’ll make some nesting blocks and see if there are any natives around.

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