How to Harvest, Wash & Store Your Mason Bee Cocoons Over Winter

[@denisemiller8474]

I use also a cedar block drill holes the size of my straw’s and insert them in the holes when it’s time for them too hatch.

[@RentMasonBees]

Yes. That is a great solution if you can open the straws and clean everything in the fall.

[@markfaz8689]

Many thanks for the video/advice You have shown me lots more information here that I have picked up from other videos on KZbin 👍 Blessings from Manchester England 🐝🐝

[@RentMasonBees]

Thank you for finding us to learn more about how to care for solitary bees. Happy Pollinating!!

[@AmazingGrace945]

How do they ever survive in the wild without people washing and cleaning the bees and hives?

[@RentMasonBees]

In the wild their nesting sites are camouflaged and harder for Houdini fly and mono wasps to find. When you set out a bee hotel it provides easy access to predators which is why it’s important to harvest and clean every year.

[@jodiejodiejodie]

@@RentMasonBees It seems like creating and enhancing nesting habitats for solitary bees would be a better solution than selling these products that have a million ways to harm the native populations if you don't do everything correctly.

[@jodiejodiejodie]

@@RentMasonBees If you read the literature on this, most bee biologists and conservationists agree that bee hotels are inaffective as a conservation tool and likely commit more harm than good. Even in this video, so many of the larva that were laid were unviable due to the bee hotel welcoming pests that otherwise wouldn't have been able to access them as easily if they were nesting in the natural environment. That has a negative effect on the species overall reproductive outcome and success for the season.

[@RentMasonBees]

@@jodiejodiejodie many people host mason bees for increased pollination in their yards and to increase bee populations that are on the decline due to over development and chemicals being used in yards. If bee hotels are managed properly 1) clean nesting material put out every spring 2) removed end of spring to protect from predators 3) clean in the fall. Then they can actually help solitary bee populations. The education is in the millions of bee hotels that are sold all over the world that have no instructions on how to properly care for their bees. Everyone wants to help bees by providing a bee hotel for them, but you're right..if not properly maintained it will turn into a predator habitat and cause more harm than good.

[@Jhinge7385]

Thank you!very interesting learned a lot.a lot of work like honey bees.

[@colossusX1]

I live in florida and don't really have a winter, but I know we have mason and leafcutter bees here. What do you do if you don't have a cold season?

[@RentMasonBees]

If you have a mason bee house out, they will emerge when temps are 55+ degrees. They only live 6-8 weeks, so once they are done flying, you can remove their bee house and store in cool garage or shed to protect them from summer predators. Then you can harvest and clean them in October/November to get them ready to release the following spring.

[@richardr5878]

Does water temp mater? It’s fairly cold November, should water be somewhat cool to eliminate thermal cycle?

[@RentMasonBees]

You don’t want warm water just your basic cold tap water. You also want to harvest outside in the fall on a cool day. Remember they’ll start to emerge when temps are 50+.

[@denisemiller8474]

I use vinegar my house water has chlorine in it so adding more bleach can be too much.

[@SPipoly61]

Birds are attacking my hotels, is it too soon to save my cocoons for next spring??

[@RentMasonBees]

Mason bees should be done soon. If you aren’t seeing anymore activity you can carefully remove them and store over summer. Here’s a video on preventing birds. kzbin.info/www/bejne/emSlcoOYis1soNEsi=U5IS3ZZU8Ubos_p7

[@sheilacopleyfarley985]

What is a list of proper nesting material?

[@RentMasonBees]

Steps for raising your own mason bees: 1. Place clean nesting material out in spring. Use nesting material that can easily be opened: stacking trays or cardboard tubes you can unravel 2. Provide clean mud source and make sure to not use slug bait or chemicals that can contaminate soil/mud 3. Gently remove nesting material at the end of spring and store in cool garage or shed. Mason bees only live 6-8 weeks and then they are done. Protect developing larvae from summer predators. How to store over summer video kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJatnpmkfriHkLMsi=un4m7LkJcPbjAm0x 4. In the fall, once they’ve spun their silk cocoons, open all the nesting material and remove cocoons from predators and clean. Then store in hibernation in fridge over winter. How to clean & store video kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5CUiJ97ebmsns0si=zyFd7QYYk8lxtDV

[@lindaliriel]

Thanks for the video! Is it possible to use vinegar, alcohol or something more eco-friendly than bleach?

[@RentMasonBees]

We haven't tried other solutions, but they may work. We just know the bleach eliminates the pollen mites and chalkbrood, so that is the key.

[@daleford5531]

What time of year are you doing this? So the cocoons are hatched in spring..cleaning the tubes in October?

[@RentMasonBees]

Harvest in the fall. We do all of ours in October.

[@pozzee2809]

@@RentMasonBeescan I hang filled tubes in netting outdoors until the fall?

[@RentMasonBees]

@@pozzee2809 yes you can protect them with a fine mesh netting so that mono wasps or birds can't get to them.

[@denisemiller8474]

Aren’t you killing new bee’s when you do this each year.. I find putting new nests out each year and removing the old nest after they hatch works better without killing the bee.

[@RentMasonBees]

You do not harm the bees during this process. What harms the bees are the predators that linger in the nesting material and kill the developing larvae. Please watch this video to learn more: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXuvoqiFj8mnrbcsi=fII3ACXtudK_WxLa

[@juliemaki6342]

I use a dental took to pull out the white tube from the cardboard sleeve so that I can slide a new, clean white tube in.

[@juliemaki6342]

Really great information.

[@CamilleH53]

GREAT info . . . lots to remember. Thanks for sharing.

[@bobmariano3731]

👍⚾️well done & very informative. Thx you !😊🐝

[@bobmargulis8912]

Do you need a flame? Have you ever tried using a heat gun on high to sterilize the trays?

[@denisemiller8474]

Another thing is Mason bees find every hole to lay eggs in each year my pond vacuum was covered in nests they also find holes in nature that don’t get cleaned so it looks like you are killing off the year of offspring doing this. I’ve had my system for twenty years until I moved.

[@RentMasonBees]

Yes. They will find natural holes in your habitat, and those are hard for predators to find. If you have a mason bee house set out, you're also making it easier for predators, so you need to 1) Put clean nesting material out every spring 2) Remove at the end of spring and don't keep out year round and 3) Open nesting material and clean to remove the predators. The nest generation of bees are not harmed during this process and you're actually helping that next generation emerge safely. Here is another video to watch to learn more: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXuvoqiFj8mnrbcsi=fII3ACXtudK_WxLa

[@onetransmission7871]

Can you show a close up pic of good and bad cacoons?

[@RentMasonBees]

Do you mean clean vs. unclean or when they're candled, and you can see through the cocoon?

[@janettgonzalez3735]

Amazing video. Just a question: If I found them in August, summer time. How can I protect the baby bees from predators?

[@RentMasonBees]

@@janettgonzalez3735 at the end of spring you can remove nesting material and place in cool garage or shed to protect them from predators. Here’s a video on how to kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJatnpmkfriHkLMsi=uUTYbjF-Qqb2040g

[@RentMasonBees]

@@janettgonzalez3735 if curious here’s the new video we just did on what your baby bees are doing at end of July. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHm9qYKHdr6fbKcsi=nhaneoQ1ADKCX9-y

[@gramermanush1279]

smart works

[@glaucouswingedgull]

Looked like a table spoon, not a teaspoon?

[@wildlycraftedwoman282]

This was SO helpful!!! Thank you!!

[@RentMasonBees]

Thank you. I"m glad you enjoyed it and learned something. Please check out our other educational videos that will guide you with solitary bee hosting.

[@Wholestain]

I only started with these block type "hotels" after seeing them on here. They are crazy expensive here in Europe so I made a few myself. They are so much better now I'm somewhat wiser on the several pests. I'm going to slowly change all my bamboo hotels. Thanks for the informative video!

[@RentMasonBees]

Your bees and habitat will be so much healthier. Thank you for learning from our videos and making a change. Bee love!!!

[@TrevorMaffei]

Not sure if anyone else is having an issue, but I'm not getting any sound with this video.

[@lindaliriel]

I can hear the audio