Leafcutter Bees: Remove and Protect
When you find the leafcutter bee activity has halted, it's a good time to remove the filled nesting holes and protect them from pests and hungry animals.
Place the filled nesting holes in a
BeeGuard bag and store them in a cool location. If leafcutter bees remain in 65F/19C for a while, some of the larva may begin developing into adult bees. When they emerge 3-4 weeks later, they tunnel through other leafcutter bee larva effectively killing them.
Store the leafcutter bees in a unheated shed/garage for the winter. These bees are hardy to -15F/-26C during the winter months.
Related Articles
The importance of harvesting bee cocoons
Why should I harvest my bee cocoons? In the wild, nesting holes are spread across the landscape and natural nesting sites change every year. Diseases can be easily spread in our man-made bee homes that are designed for our convenience. Pests and ...
Mason Bees: Remove and Protect
Why do I remove and protect mason bee nesting materials in the summer? Blue orchard mason bees (Osmia lignaria) and horned-face mason bees (Osmia cornifrons) both only produce one generation of bees per year. Knowing this fact makes it easier for us ...
Making Mud for Mason Bees
How do I make mud for mason bees? In the spring, female mason bees protect each nesting chamber with a wall of clayey mud. If mason bees can't find clayey mud nearby their bee house, they won't nest and will fly away. These bees are named after ...
Wild Bee Capped End Guide
How do I find out what kind of wild bee moved into my bee house? Wild bees and solitary beneficial wasps can both move into your bee house or bee hotel. Each bee and wasp species has their own nesting preferences and their own way of building their ...
When to harvest cocoons
Mason bees overwinter as adult bees and should be harvested between October-December. Read how to harvest mason bee cocoons here. If you forgot to harvest in the fall, see how to shift bees from old nesting-holes to new here. Mason bee cocoons ...