Thank you for your informative videos and for taking the time to educate us. A few years ago I got into mason bees. The passed summer I made them a lot of homes, probably 400 available holes. And more than 200 holes got filled completely. But I made them out of pieces of 2x4s and drilled holes in them, it seemed to work because they were working all day everyday and probably 10 would come and go at a time. It was fun to watch. So anyways, I left them outside for most of the winter.. I checked on them everyday though, Ive never seen any other insect on them other than a silverfish (which I took care of those). But literally every single filled hole has a tiny little open hole in the entrance of the nesting hole. I'm afraid something has gotten into them. Its a pin sized hole. Should I be worried when I put them out for spring? I just ordered a bunch of stuff from your website for this year. I'm doing it totally different. I will definitely use nesting tubes and harvest the cocoons and put them in the fridge. Thanks for your time!!!
I got my first bee box this week, one that you can take the layers of wood apart to see the small channels. and I've spent all afternoon watching videos and ended up confused. This is the first video where it's recommened to bring the hive indoors during Summer. All others have said October (UK) and then wash the bee pods in incredibly weak bleach/water and then put them in the fridge/shed/garage until around March. No video has suggested what to do then though. Do I put them back into the channels?
Hello, Elly. We do recommend bring Mason bees into a cool protected area for the summer. You do this when they have stopped flying (around 75 degrees). Keep them in their tubes until October when you will harvest the cocoons, wash them (please don't use bleach), and store the cocoons in the refrigerator until next spring when it will time to release them. Please review. crownbees.com/the-mason-bee-raiser-calendar/ and I think the step you are missing is here: crownbees.com/summer-remove-protect-store/
From the videos I've seen, they say to take the box into the garage (or somewhere that will be the same temperature as outdoors), after the bees have stopped flying and the holes are closed up. This keeps them safe from predators. In the fall, you can clean out the channels. (Some say weak bleach/water, others say water only.) When they are ready to hatch in the spring (after it's at least 55°F / 13°C outside), you can place the cocoons in a cardboard box that has a small hole cut in the side. They will emerge from the cocoon, see the light (from the hole) & fly away. You need to place it right above, below, or next to the bee box, because they come back to the same place to lay their eggs. Here's a video that shows how to do this: ua-cam.com/video/FCmK8P6sWf4/v-deo.html
@@michellepanelo2 I put the harvested cocoons in a vented plastic container (a Blueberry container) with a wet wadded up paper towel (for humidity control) and store in my fridge veggie crisper until spring. then put cocoons back in the mason bee house. You can space out how many cocoons to put out at once, coinciding with fruit tree blooms for instance.
Hi Dawn. Place the entire house into a BeeGuard bag early spring and close the opening Check the bag daily when mason bees should be emerging and let them out of the bag Pests, like the Houdini Fly, can be killed while still in the bag In May, consider composting or disposing of the old house so that no more bees will be harmed
Would it be possible to use the URL-link from this video on my own website to share the information, giving you the full credit and ownership of the video of course?
I gather it must be warmer where you are as it sounds like you are being visited by a Leafcutter bee. While the prefer and love reeds on the horizontal. Let's face it, they will nest anywhere. I think your bee will be seriously disappointed in her choice of a nest with the next wind storm.
You store the bee box in the garage (or someplace that stays the same temperature as outside) during the summer. In the Fall, you can clean out the channels & store them in the fridge to hibernate until spring. Bring them out when it's at least 55°F / 13°C outside. You can place the cocoons in a cardboard box that has a small hole cut in the side. They will emerge from the cocoon, see the light (from the hole) & fly away to find food. You need to place it right above, below, or next to the bee box, because they come back to the same place to lay their eggs. Here's a video that shows how to do this: ua-cam.com/video/FCmK8P6sWf4/v-deo.html
It is now May 21 and the Mason Bee action is slowing. On what date would you suggest removing the nests for storage? I am in Victoria B.C., with much the same climate as the Seattle area. Is there a general date on which the Chalcid wasp emerges?
It really depends on when your released your mason bees for pollinating your plants and it's not about where you're located. Aim to remove and protect your mason bees about 4-6 weeks after you released the bees. The parasitic wasp emerges soon after mason bees do so they can infect new mason bee larvae. crownbees.com/remove-protect-summer-bees
Thank you for your informative videos and for taking the time to educate us.
A few years ago I got into mason bees. The passed summer I made them a lot of homes, probably 400 available holes. And more than 200 holes got filled completely. But I made them out of pieces of 2x4s and drilled holes in them, it seemed to work because they were working all day everyday and probably 10 would come and go at a time. It was fun to watch. So anyways, I left them outside for most of the winter.. I checked on them everyday though, Ive never seen any other insect on them other than a silverfish (which I took care of those). But literally every single filled hole has a tiny little open hole in the entrance of the nesting hole. I'm afraid something has gotten into them. Its a pin sized hole. Should I be worried when I put them out for spring?
I just ordered a bunch of stuff from your website for this year. I'm doing it totally different. I will definitely use nesting tubes and harvest the cocoons and put them in the fridge.
Thanks for your time!!!
I got my first bee box this week, one that you can take the layers of wood apart to see the small channels. and I've spent all afternoon watching videos and ended up confused. This is the first video where it's recommened to bring the hive indoors during Summer. All others have said October (UK) and then wash the bee pods in incredibly weak bleach/water and then put them in the fridge/shed/garage until around March. No video has suggested what to do then though. Do I put them back into the channels?
Hello, Elly. We do recommend bring Mason bees into a cool protected area for the summer. You do this when they have stopped flying (around 75 degrees). Keep them in their tubes until October when you will harvest the cocoons, wash them (please don't use bleach), and store the cocoons in the refrigerator until next spring when it will time to release them. Please review. crownbees.com/the-mason-bee-raiser-calendar/ and I think the step you are missing is here: crownbees.com/summer-remove-protect-store/
From the videos I've seen, they say to take the box into the garage (or somewhere that will be the same temperature as outdoors), after the bees have stopped flying and the holes are closed up. This keeps them safe from predators. In the fall, you can clean out the channels. (Some say weak bleach/water, others say water only.)
When they are ready to hatch in the spring (after it's at least 55°F / 13°C outside), you can place the cocoons in a cardboard box that has a small hole cut in the side. They will emerge from the cocoon, see the light (from the hole) & fly away. You need to place it right above, below, or next to the bee box, because they come back to the same place to lay their eggs.
Here's a video that shows how to do this: ua-cam.com/video/FCmK8P6sWf4/v-deo.html
What do you do with the nests in the BeeGuardbag? Do you put them out again for the bees to emerge at some point?
After protecting the bees over the summer you will harvest mason bee cocoons in the fall, usually the beginning of October.
To piggy back on this - would harvesting involve just putting them back outside? :) thank you!
@@michellepanelo2 I put the harvested cocoons in a vented plastic container (a Blueberry container) with a wet wadded up paper towel (for humidity control) and store in my fridge veggie crisper until spring. then put cocoons back in the mason bee house. You can space out how many cocoons to put out at once, coinciding with fruit tree blooms for instance.
Awesome video ! Thanks from Ontario Canada .
What do you do with a bee house that the reeds don't come out? Just put the whole house in a bag?
Hi Dawn. Place the entire house into a BeeGuard bag early spring and close the opening
Check the bag daily when mason bees should be emerging and let them out of the bag
Pests, like the Houdini Fly, can be killed while still in the bag
In May, consider composting or disposing of the old house so that no more bees will be harmed
@@CrownBees so it's early fall right now and they are still laying and mudding up the tubes I leave it out all winter and bag it in the spring
Would it be possible to use the URL-link from this video on my own website to share the information, giving you the full credit and ownership of the video of course?
Yes, please share our expert advice!
great information, thanks for sharing
Do Mason bees use vertical tunes to form nest. I have a bee taking leaves up into a wind chime about a 3/8 opening
I gather it must be warmer where you are as it sounds like you are being visited by a Leafcutter bee. While the prefer and love reeds on the horizontal. Let's face it, they will nest anywhere. I think your bee will be seriously disappointed in her choice of a nest with the next wind storm.
@@CrownBees might be deaf. Are leafcutters worth having around
@@redwood1957 They most definitely are. Great super pollinators for your summer garden and flowers.
@@CrownBees thank you I'm in South Carolina
Do I store this in refrigerator until spring? I thought I read where you do this
You store the bee box in the garage (or someplace that stays the same temperature as outside) during the summer. In the Fall, you can clean out the channels & store them in the fridge to hibernate until spring.
Bring them out when it's at least 55°F / 13°C outside. You can place the cocoons in a cardboard box that has a small hole cut in the side. They will emerge from the cocoon, see the light (from the hole) & fly away to find food. You need to place it right above, below, or next to the bee box, because they come back to the same place to lay their eggs.
Here's a video that shows how to do this: ua-cam.com/video/FCmK8P6sWf4/v-deo.html
How would you store the bees if you don't have a BeeGuardbag?
@Crown Bees Thanks for the reply!
It is now May 21 and the Mason Bee action is slowing. On what date would you suggest removing the nests for storage? I am in Victoria B.C., with much the same climate as the Seattle area. Is there a general date on which the Chalcid wasp emerges?
It really depends on when your released your mason bees for pollinating your plants and it's not about where you're located. Aim to remove and protect your mason bees about 4-6 weeks after you released the bees. The parasitic wasp emerges soon after mason bees do so they can infect new mason bee larvae. crownbees.com/remove-protect-summer-bees
Thank you............'
Wasps need to breed too.