solitary/mason bees documentary compressed into 7 minutes

[@paulwheaton]

thanks to my patreon peeps for getting my youtube engine running again patreon.com/pwvids

[@islabonita6304]

Hi there, thank you for this video, very informative and helpful. I purchased a bamboo bee house mainly to save the bee's, give them a warm place to live for the winter. Do you know if it matters if I hang the house on tree branches or use nails to secure it in place? The only difference is it would swing versus stay still.

[@islabonita6304]

@Crown Bees THANK YOU very much for the link, and also for the tip on how to best place it. I will need to invest in a non-bamboo house or make one myself, looks like bamboo is too dangerous to chance for them. I can't thank you enough for letting me know.

[@susanlockinger749]

I'm moving from northern Illinois to south Tennessee. Can I move my mason bee house to Tenn, and if yes, when should I move it?

[@marylandsmann1175]

Im glad to see this video instead of the hundred "how kill" videos

[@markfarrell1871]

How kill? Explain please

[@baldeagle242]

This is awesome! I was restacking my woodpile and had these things flying all over around me. I realized that they were not aggressive at all, even though I was literally restacking their home. Good stuff! They get to stay because of this video! 😁👍

[@okamijubei]

And look when you see them flying with the honeybees

[@VictorFursov]

Thank you for video! Best spring greetings from Ukrainian beekeepers to beekeepers in USA!

[@alen7480]

Why am I suddenly in love with Mason bees?

[@caleschwarzeschwarze6200]

they are easy and native

[@patriciaeckert8070]

LOL, I know right!

[@mannduh2430]

Because they are friggin loveable!

[@vomMarischal]

same here

[@elchin5805]

bc they cannot sting and seem lovely? 😁😍

[@jasmineplant3191]

Thank you for this excellent video. I put up one of these garden-centre bought 'bug nests' - the sort with lengths of bamboo - last year and was delighted to see 3 bees and many leaf-capped sections this summer. Having attended 'sustainable bee-keeping' courses and realised my garden is unsuitable, to have any bees at all is a bonus! Thanks for all the information. Jasmine.

[@JandjacresNet]

Well produced little Micro Documentary. I, for one, did not know that you were supposed to harvest out the cocoons. Pretty neat! Thanks for sharing Paul!

[@stevenfeil7079]

You don't HAVE to harvest them. It is just a way to help keep pests and diseases under control. Dave explains this at crownbees.com.

[@gioknows]

People who raise bees are wonderful. God bless all of you.

[@jnuh7710]

It's April 5th here in northeast Illinois and they have awakened! Swarming everywhere! Luckily, I've decided to let the creeping charlie just do it's thing, first weed to flower in my garden and they are loving it 🐝 ❤

[@DusanPajic]

In Austria I spotted 1 mason bee this summer in the bee hotel made of bamboo poles on my balcony. It lived exactly 2 months and I harvested 38 cocoons few days ago. I bought nesting blocks made of wood from Germany for the next season, so I hope that there will be even more bees in the following years.

[@Citystead]

Thank you for the info on Mason Bees it's great to learn about all the different pollinators out there we need to nurture so they can continue to help us

[@NinjaXryho]

Fantastic video. That woman made me rethink my hive designs. A removable back is a great idea.

[@JS-jl1yj]

This year, 2023, for the first time, I ordered the Blue Orchard Mason Bees. They emerged between May 5 - May 8, three weeks ago. My question is how many days after the bees emerged, can I expect to see any activity in my bee house? I see them daily as they pollinate my blueberry bushes, I have the clay mud set out for them, but I still don't see anything happening at the bee house.

[@FatNebraskaMom]

I just had my first little boy pop out last night when I was taking them out of the fridge. He was so damned cute wuth his little white mohawk! He sat on my finger for a while and licked st my skin. I named him sparky.

[@18Bees]

I just captured an amazing close up shot of Osmia cornifrons mating. I was so thrilled! Had never seen it before.

[@SavageNorthGarden]

I would like to see how the cocoons are removed from the tubes and also the parasitic wasp/eggs in the tubes. Good vid. Makes me think I don't have to spend big $ to set something up.

[@mr.cheezit2015]

SavageNorthGarden i

[@maureenpalmer1846]

Steven Feil parasitic wasps/eggs what do they look like

[@MarcellaSmithVegan]

It is so cheap to raise Mason bees, and fun, especially since you know they do not sting :). There are other videos on removing and cleaning your cocoons. I use the plastic ones that open up, beediverse.com sells them, they are easy to clean and remove the cocoons in the fall. They even sell little homes for them to stay humidified in your refrigerator thru the winter, then you bring them back out and put back into the base of your Mason bee house in the spring, as soon as the get their barings they start a whole new bunch, meanwhile your garden gets good pollination!

[@KimMeseck]

Great comment, I thought the same thing, too!

[@Subcoolschool]

Gardening is my and my wife's hobby.. we are flower nuts ! 😀 This is going to be our second hobby. Because we love our bee's .. and are butterflies.

[@terrybochansky6271]

Thank You for the Video. I never new there was any such thing UNTIL. I put my plant shelving units on the balcony. I noticed bees flying under them and seen them going into holes. The next thing was they would seal them with some thing. I watched video after video, I need my 45 1/2 foot balcony of about 400 plants pollinated. I now have places for the masons to lay their larvae. I am doing all I can to learn what to do to help attract all of the others to My Garden. Thanks

[@ElenaHaskins]

Wonderful. Thank you. I have been collecting containers for mason bee homes and now I will rethink the sizes.

[@AntonioZangara]

that's awesome, i'm a beekeeper and i'm rearing an local ecotype here in Italy, but you guys, you're simply awesome! i'will help the mason bees , after your video

[@woodinvilledavehunte]

Osmia cornuta and bicornis are all through your area.

[@gopackgo2235]

I have the leaf cutter bees here. I spent some time watching one fly back and forth for hours from the garden to a hole in the metal tube of my gazebo one day. they go into soil as well. Now I know what they are called. ty. they aren't aggressive at all I petted them on my sunflowers. I'm allergic to stings too! Would never attempt that with a wasp or hornet! Just bees. If in early spring I find one in the shade in the morning I will move it to a warm sunny spot to get it back on track. Fascinating they are to me.

[@MarcellaSmithVegan]

You always know when you have leaf cutter bees around when you see the small circles they cut out of the edge of leaves to make their baby's cocoon :)

[@VictorFursov]

Thank you for video. Good luck in beekeeping! Best wishes from entomologists and beekeepers in Ukraine!

[@forrestberg591]

Saw a Mason Bee home, had no idea what it was. Keep regular honeybees, thought the home was crazy looking. Cool video! Very informative. Thanks!

[@digitalenigma00]

We have a type of bamboo in Kentucky, used for fishing poles in the old days, thus the name cane pole, they grow wild, cut em, dry em.

[@VictorFursov]

Good presentation about bees. Best wishes!

[@marksaler124]

Instead of a block use slats clamped together. Drill the holes so when they are un-clamped the holes are split in half longways. Cheaper than tubes, easier to clean soak in water and microwave to sterilize.

[@dreamingrightnow1174]

Mark Saler Genius! Thank you for that; I've got so many 'slats'!

[@robpk63]

The best upload about Mason Bees by a country mile.

[@3ratsinacage]

I’m excited for my next Mason bee cocoons to arrive!

[@laughingc0w]

I'm just getting into gardening and stumbled upon your video. Thank you for sharing! Do I have to clean the cocoons? Can I just let nature run its course? I was hoping to keep it low maintenance

[@catyear75]

So informative and entertaining! Excellent production!

[@mponcardas94]

Was so glad to see a leaf cutter bee here in philippines (a tropical country, rainy seasons now though). She cut a leaf out of an Ube (violet yam) leaf and went to our old, unused radio. During this time, i am learning how to grow Black Soldier Fly and these bees also came by. So, I was so curious about it until i bumped to your vid. Thanks for sharing!

[@jheasley1]

What kind of wood works best for making Mason Bee Homes? I was thinking cedar would work well since it doesn't decay very fast in the outdoors, but I was concerned since cedar is known to be a natural bug repellent in it. Wasn't sure if it would hurt the Mason Bees or discourage them to enter

[@friedrichdostoyevsky491]

Thanks for video.I am always amaZed that folks put so much into mason bees home building.All you need is a drill and drill bit.I drill holes all over. Old logs, chunks of wood. I even have a tool rack that I have drilled holes down the legs.According to the mason bees ( almost all holes (1000's) are in use)) this is a really good method.

[@joeyj6808]

Good stuff! We are big fans of Masons and Miners, as well as Honeys and Bumbles at the Hermit's Grove! Thanks for the video!

[@sydneysimon4999]

Your hilarious AND informative! This helps me a lot with some restoration research :) keep doing what you're doing

[@terryclark7505]

Loved this video. Just getting into understanding Mason bees. Thank you.

[@AnneLindyberg]

Love this! So fun, great video.

[@hopeundead9334]

I. Died. At the bee porn. So funny

[@liamstacey419]

Let's talk about beetle habitat!! Carabid beetles are probably out best natural slug and snail control. Great talk, by the way.

[@Daniel-xu9ut]

Thanks for putting out this info.

[@artofjcw8488]

Absolutely fascinating ! Thank you for this video 😎📸🐝

[@18Bees]

wow great video. I'll be working on this as my spring project. cheers!

[@LeeMorgan07]

Keep it up Paul. I like the idea of Mico-Docs. Way easier to share and spread the Permies word.

[@LightoYagasamiSan]

I dig your style dear sir!

[@barbarawood4332]

Very informative thank you. I put some cut bamboo canes in a small apexed bee house, some of the ends are now made up with dried mud. How do they dig through the mud end when they hatch ??

[@GypsyGardener2]

Great content and I really learned a lot ! Thanks !

[@patriciaeckert8070]

Thank you so much for the most excellent video!

[@armanflint]

I wonder if mason bees would be well adapted to the inside of a greenhouse.

[@maxmagnus777]

so long as you do not disturb their natural cycles they will do fine

[@justangvano]

great video Paul. I really like bees.

[@colin8532]

Great info, thanks for sharing Paul :)

[@PlantingPixels]

Really great vid. Thanks for sharing.

[@MikeTheMaker1]

Do you recommend tubes or the racks for each bee? I just made the racks since they are reusable.

[@MikeTheMaker1]

Crown Bees it’s also end of the middle of summer in the US do you think any bees will move in before the end of summer?

[@jochebed3675]

Hello Mr. Wheaton. So I just placed a bee house in my garden, will the mason bees and other solitary bees find it on their own?

[@maryagee6934]

What does those big black bomb bees good for? They really come out in the spring of the year and find some dryed up wood to put nest into it. MLA

[@elysejoseph]

Wow! What happened Paul, this video is so well edited, you found an editing guru or something :D Beautiful, I always enjoyed your vids, but I must say, this is a piece of art!!!

[@dreamingrightnow1174]

I'm still confused about whether you can dispose (burn) of the nest, once they've emerged. Could you drill holes in firewood every year instead of harvesting and cleaning each time?

[@JBtheExplorer]

I use hollow plant stems right from my own native garden. They're free! I also drill holes in logs and sticks.

[@NaturallyHighDanny]

All that work I’d rather just buy it

[@JBtheExplorer]

@@NaturallyHighDanny I mean, it takes like 10 minutes. Not really much work involved. I don't do it anymore, though, I just let my native gardens provide their own nesting cavities.

[@Mrs-Lewis]

Wow so cool! Great information!

[@Samhsong]

We have a hotel for solitary bees. We will clean & store it over winter as in this video. We also have a honey bee colony. Is it possible that the hotel could spread disease to our honey bees?

[@Samhsong]

@Crown Bees Thank you so much!

[@fayewells]

Great information and... you made me LAUGH! Chick-a-bow-wow 😂

[@alexandriaschreiber2434]

What would stuff the tiny tubes with grass clippings?

[@precarious333]

Love it! We need more of this.

[@0thyme]

The singing is my favorite part... probably because it doesn't go on for too long. But seriously though, great video.

[@JuliaFranke]

Great video, Very informative!

[@pinksdaisy9356]

Thankyou this has been really useful!

[@ceili]

Do honey bees compete with Mason bees if a hive is close to where they nest?

[@LyleAllenCairns]

I'm confused by the numbers, are you saying that one mason bee will pollinate what takes 100 honey bees to do?

[@ryderhughes9544]

That's exactly what it's saying, because A: the Mason Bee is far less efficient and has to hit more flowers to get the same amount of Pollen and B: Mason Bees will perform in less favorable conditions to honeybees.

[@dreamingrightnow1174]

Ryder Hughes Lol, I wondered that too. I thought, "Did he say the mason bee was pollinating the honey bee?? Remember, some of us are brand new; we'll be more literal than you think..

[@kimcup5000]

I wish you would have shown exactly how to make a good house for them and how you can do it the most cheaply. Where do you get the tubes?, etc. Thank you!

[@Crus0e]

Are aged bamboo sticks good for bees?

[@emeralddragon2010]

hi. for sake of argument lets say they did emerge too early because of the weather. is it possible them to temporarily provide them with some type of supplemental pollen replacement until the flowers come into bloom?

[@johnleebass]

Gr8 video! "Bee porn" = LMAO! Love these little guys! Love watching them emerge from cocoons. Special guys & deserve our respect. Love the passion you guyz have.

[@jakefergusson1124]

She is so awesome!

[@samautz1]

How deep is the outer tube in the tube example? Also, an approximate diameter? My spring project so any advice is very appreciated.

[@carrieannmcleod5219]

How do you clean the bamboo without killing the larvae?

[@kitrobbo1696]

Dry good solid info cheers kit

[@LoveLakesAndStuff]

Thank you for this, loved the content :)

[@michaelboom4279]

This is totally new to me but I wonder if dried sunflower stalks are to big for mason bees?

[@marriedman420]

I have now decided to use Paul saying bow chicka wow as my ring tone

[@joemci6281]

Paul, When using mason bees in a greenhouse for pollination, is there a way to keep cycles of bees coming through for year round pollination or are they specific to a certain time of year?

[@MrBurtley]

is there a time of year when there just won't be any mason bees nesting? I want to put up some wood blocks for them and when they get old simply burn them, not wanting to burn the bees obviously

[@woodinvilledavehunte]

Mr Burtley, spring mason bees are finished flying in early June. They have nested in their holes and will develop over the summer to an adult bee in a cocoon for the winter hibernation. With drilled blocks of wood, you can't harvest your cocoons from them... (pest build up) and have to place them out in the spring. I recommend that you look to use reeds, wood trays, or paper tubes that allow you to hold the cocoon in your hands. Jen is right in the video. Dave

[@MarcellaSmithVegan]

I am going to move from Kansas to Southern Florida in the next month, can I bring my Fall Mason Bee cocoons with me, will they do ok in Southern Florida? It is warm right now wo they will probably hatch out, but I don't want to leave them behind

[@theangrykorean5194]

totally awesome video. good people providing good habitats for uncommon Mason Bees, and everybody loves Bees. Question: Can Mason Bees live in tropical environments like Honey Bees? I haven't seen any in Hawaii...😥

[@larrywinter8255]

Is it possible for Mason bees to still be alive on August 2nd in Wichita, Kansas? I think I’ve had them in my back yard the past couple of weeks. I took pictures and video of them, I’m not sure how to send them with my comment. They are black/blue colored, very docile, and vigorously work over a flower!

[@larrywinter8255]

Here is a link to a video I took on Sunday August 2nd, 2020. I noticed the two stripes on it's rear end, are those pollen stains or colored hairs? Does the video help determine the type of bee? I hope you can help verify this is a Mason bee. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXeneYOqZriCiMU

[@larrywinter8255]

@Crown Bees The bee in the video is really small, the flower is a rose moss blossom and is only about 1inch across, the bee is actually about 1/4 inch diameter, I really zoomed in on the bee to get a good picture of it so the bee looks much larger than it actually is. The smaller bee that flies by during the video was smaller than a house fly. This bee doesn't show up until the rose moss blossoms have opened up at about 11:00 am. I love to just watch them fly around, but I can't be there at that time in the morning to watch them every day, only on the weekends do I get the opportunity to watch them. I had one of these little bees hovering around me while I had to re-stack my firewood pile, and it never bothered me and it was loaded with pollen. I may have destroyed its nest as I did burn some of the firewood that looked bug eaten. By the time I noticed the bee I had already started burning wood. Next year I'm going to try building some Mason bee houses to attract these bees no matter what they are, I like them and want to see more of them around my house.

[@Beansie]

How do mason and honey bees get along with one another? I'm interested in honey bees for obvious reasons, though it's only one of two reasons for getting interested in beekeeping. The other being of course to help the planet, no explanation needed. I'm wondering if I kept some mason bees deeper in the woods, away from where i'd like the honeys to primarily pollinate, and obviously maintained and monitored, will they share? Will they commence to Battle Royale? I know bees are pretty widespread in their flights, but I'd really like to help the area around me as well as my own stead. Thanks in advance!

[@Beansie]

Very very helpful, thank you so much for your reply, I'll make a plan to keep the Mason's closer to home and honey's further out. Thank you ever so much!

[@nitelite78]

I am wondering if the blocks with drilled holes could just be heated every couple of years to say 80c/175f for a period of time after cleaning to destroy any fungus/parasites.

[@paulwheaton]

At any time of year, the blocks would have some sort of life in it. So there is no time when you could do that that wouldn't be killing solitary bees.

[@RoseNZieg]

if you want flowers for bees in the winter and/or cold spells, plant flowering plants that can withstand cold spells, such as mustards in late autumn. the blooms in winter and early spring will help the bees significantly.

[@danielherrera2203]

Bumblebees are what you need for greenhouses...they are raised commercialy for greenhouse pollination...neither mason bees or honey bees work well in greenhouses.

[@semmes5342]

I bought a bee hotel today what is the best way to start the process. How do i attract bees? do I need food?where is the best place to expose the hotel ? early morning sun? so help me get started thanks

[@Katiethreeable]

How do u get the cacoons from the tubes to the 1/2 way house

[@bhumphries1360]

So, do Mason bees build hives and make honey like a honey bee does?

[@theopieshow1320]

How do I purchase some cocoons or contact someone with a good stock to get a booster pack, there are no bees in my area

[@kimcup5000]

Thank you!!!

[@jeeperoo84]

We have a lot of mud wasps here just south of Dallas. I would think that if I set up a mason bee tube it would be full of mud wasps with no room for bees.

[@woodinvilledavehunte]

That's possible... but realize that the mud wasps are also performing natural chores around your garden by picking up pests and stuffing them into the holes. If you don't place out tubes, you'll never know. We have them fairly low cost.

[@jeeperoo84]

Crown Bees True. I don't kill any of the wasps but they are annoying.

[@SansaStarkofWinterfell]

I am curious, if there are so many types of mason bees... Do companies that sell mason bees send out the proper bees for each area? I reside in SW South Dakota, I'm not truly able to do Honeybees in the housing development. *But* I could do these, so long as the right bees are sent to me if I purchase them. I've researched so much on the Honeybee and could do that maybe when we retire in 2 yrs, but not now. And I want to get into some bees *now*. =) ~Bright Blessings

[@lisarobinson266]

If you put up the tubes and there are already bees in your area they will probably use them, which will increase the bees in your area. Native plants are a big draw too.

[@SansaStarkofWinterfell]

Lisa Robinson We do have lots of different types of bee looking critters on my flowers. I specifically plant Calendula and Blue Cornflower/Bachelor Button flowers. I've also got some very beautiful flowers that I don't know the name of with bell shaped flowers, semi succulent leaves that the flowers are purple with a cream color too. Just gorgeous! The bees love those too. I do have lots of native plants in my yard that flower. I just happen to have a bunch of other stuff in the yard too. =)

[@lisarobinson266]

Native bees should be gentle and not bother the neighbors. You can purchase the bee kits, but i do not know if they tailor bees to a particular area. Crown Bees might be able to answer that question. crownbees.com/bee-hotels

[@SansaStarkofWinterfell]

Lisa Robinson Thanks Lisa

[@dreamingrightnow1174]

The bees around here (Portland Oregon) love the clover and the dandelions in my lawn. My neighbors don't like that I don't eradicate them; they would like me to go out every week and spray roundup on them. If they could see the hugelkultur in my back yard, they'd run me out of here I s'pose.. The pot plant is fine though. :)

[@ReapingTheHarvest]

These things love squash flowers.

[@richardbritt2281]

Do you think Mason Bees would work well in a high tunnel with heat control and in closed area?

[@woodinvilledavehunte]

Maybe, not easy though. Bumble bees are better. You'd have to reach out to us to discuss.

[@jtr9881]

Where do you buy those cocoons?

[@paulwheaton]

crownbees.com

[@Gesundheit888]

I've read that you should wash the cocoons in 1% bleach water before putting them into the fridge in fall. Is that right?

[@roxannedunstanharvey4898]

Where's a good place to get those giant tubes

[@paulwheaton]

crownbees.com

[@richardbritt2281]

Where do I get Masson Bees from. I'd like to start working with Masson Bees because they are smaller and don't fly far from their nest. Do you have place to order from? Thanks

[@paulwheaton]

Go to crownbees.com