Instructions: Spring Mason Bee Kit
Our Spring Mason Bee Kit comes with everything you need to raise gentle mason bees for spring pollination.
Our mason bees are active in cooler and wetter spring weather and fly best in temperatures around 55F/13C. Mason bees are perfect cross-pollinators of apple, pear, almond, plum, and cherry trees.
Instructions
- Select a location that faces S to SE, morning sun is optimal to warm the bees so they can begin to fly. Provide afternoon shade in hot locations that are consistently above 90F/32C.
- Install bee house on a sturdy wall or fence, at eye level for easy observation of bee activity, about 5ft (1.5m) from the ground to protect from pests and predators.
- Locate the house within 300ft (100m) of your flowers.
- Position your bee house away from birdhouses and bird feeders.
The keyhole back makes installation easy, just hang the cedar house on a screw or nail. You can also mount the bee house on top of a post.
- In the spring when your blooms are opening and weather warms to 50F/10C, set up the cedar bee house. Place the 48-hole reusable wood tray (8mm) for mason bees, lightly apply InvitaBee Plus+ to the front of the wood tray and set your mason bee cocoons on top and towards the back. Clayey mud is vital to mason bee nesting. If needed, add Mason Bee Mud Mix to a hole in the ground within 25ft of your bee house.
- When all female mason bees are done nesting, remove the filled nesting tray and store with open end facing up in the BeeGuard Bag. Store over the summer in an unheated garage or shed.
- Harvest your spring mason bee cocoons in the fall between October and December. Store mason bee cocoons in the HumidiBee container in your fridge.
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