This video will give you some useful tips on how to open your mason bee nesting straws, including how to tell male cocoons from females, and how to recognize cocoons that have been invaded by predators.
Great video. I think I have discovered the "secrete" to make paper liners, but, If you would make a demo vid on how you make the liners it would be greatly appreciated. Are you still selling Mason Bee Houses?
Here's my video on how to make the inserts but Im 6 years too late, sorry. Its easy just roll them up like a rolled cigarette ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FHKIw0MlRHE.html
It helps the bees to rid the nesting tubes of parasites and muck (their own faeces). If you clean out the cocoons you will often find the horrible grubs of the parasite cacoexenus indigator which will deplete their stock of pollen and nectar and also eat the bee. Pollen mites can be a problem too, so the cleaner their home is for the Winter the better chance they have of survival. I have first hand experience of this as I bought a bamboo nest house for them originally, knowing nothing at all about them, and then discovered the page on facebook called Campaign for solitary bees by meeting a chap on here who created it, who had seen my video, or I saw his. The Spring saw mating going on outside the house and both bees were plastered in pollen mites. I do get your question though, too much interference is not good.
Question. My Mason Bees did really well. I noticed gnats that turned out to be the wasp that lay eggs that eat the Mason Bee Larvae are present. I had someone tell me to remove all the reeds and put them in the refrigerator. I wondering if the Mason Bees are even developed enough for me to be putting them in the refrigerator. It is only June 5. Don't I have to wait till September to put them in the refrigerator? The person that told me to remove all the reeds said the wasp won't hatch if they are in the refrigerator but not sure the Mason Bees are even developed to be refrigerated. Any suggestions?
I wouldnt put them in a fridge. That requires quite careful humidity control and temperature. At the end of the year about late October/ November or later, clean the cocoons off after removing them from their tubes and store them in a breathable box with a few small holes and you can add a damp sponge in a container to keep them slightly moist. which reminds me Ive not checked mine for a good while.
So the males emerge first, before the females. Is that why the females are in the back part of the tube? So by the time the females are ready to hatch the males have emerged as they were in the front of the tube. Always wondered how the first eggs laid in the back of tube could get out with later laid eggs behind them and blocking their way in the tube? This would make sense if it is true.
best nest liners are paper straws! buy the larger (smoothie) paper straws on ebay or amazon or wherever. cut them to fit your box. A fraction of the cost of "official" nesting tubes.
Hi. Great video. Does the queen die after laying all these eggs? Where do you get your supplies? How do you entice the bees into the tubes? What do you do if you see the wasp holes? Thank you.
You don;t need to buy any cocoons as the bees will come naturally like they did for me back in 2006. I got my bee 1st house because there were bees hanging round the front door where there were holes drilled in the brickwork. I placed it at the back of my house and next Spring it was occupied. Best NOT to buy in cocoons as you have no idea if they are free of disease and if they are local to where you live so they may not do well
These are not actually straws, they are purpose made rolled paper inserts like I make. I need to know how you open actual drinking straws, cos I've bought hundreds of them as there are so many blogs showing their use, but no one has said how to get the cocoons out safely.
@@RoseNZieg ooh I wouldn't like to use a razor blade as Im bound to slip and cut myself or damage the delicate cocoons beneath,. From what I've seen they soak them in water and they unroll in a spiral,
