Mason bees emerge when the time and conditions are right for them - usually in the spring when temperatures are nearing 55F.
Depending on your weather patterns it can take two weeks or longer for mason bees to emerge from their cocoons.
Unfortunately, sometimes the bees are slow to emerge or they died in the cocoon due to refrigerator dehydration, extended exposure to direct sunlight (heat), or sitting in a hot mailbox (heat). Mason bees can also die from running out of fuel reserves during hibernation or from disease and other unknown reasons.
When you are wondering when your bees will emerge there are two options:
Continue to wait to see if the mason bees emerge
CAREFULLY open a few cocoons up with a pair of scissors
If your bees haven't emerged by early May, they may need a bit of help with a food source before you release them.
You can feed bees that appear to be slow or lethargic by placing them on a cotton ball soaked in an equal parts white sugar and water mix. You can also pick some dandelions or other flowers and place them in the HumidiBee with the live bees.
Bee cocoons should not be placed in direct sunlight.
Too much exposure to hot, direct sunlight can harm or kill a bee cocoon.
Our instructions are to place the bee cocoons inside of the bee house, out of direct sunlight.
MASON BEES: Have patience. If your trees, berries, flowers, or vegetables are in bloom and daytime highs are around 53F, then bring a portion of bee cocoons inside to your warm house. Keep them in a HumidiBee container overnight and the warm temperatures indoors will cue them to begin emergence. Cool the container in your refrigerator for about 5 minutes to slow the bees down for easier handling. Now, release them on top of or behind your nesting material or somewhere within your bee house. Or, be patient and let the bees come out on their own outdoors.
LEAFCUTTER BEES: Have patience. Cold weather can slow your bees’ development, or it may be possible that you have dehydrated them if temperatures were too hot. Try carefully opening a leafy cocoon and see what the bee looks like inside. If you see a white larva, then it hasn't developed enough and needs more time. If the larva or bee is dried up, then it dehydrated.
How do I feed mason bees that emerged before my flowers are open? Feeding Early Emerged Mason Bees Don't worry, you can provide early emerged mason bees inside of your HumidiBee with a couple of options. Mason bees have their own personalities and ...
Why are mason bees not nesting in my bee house? For first-time mason bee raisers, this is our most common question in the spring. First, please be patient. It takes time for the mason bees to emerge from their cocoons and it can take up to two weeks ...
In most cases, a little bit of mold on the outside of mason bee cocoons is harmless. However, you should remove any excessive mold before it does damage your hibernating bees. About mold: mold is a spore that starts from a food source and typically ...
Why are leafcutter bees not nesting in my bee house? For first-time leafcutter bee raisers, this is our most common question in the summer. First, please be patient. It takes time for the leafcutter bees to emerge from their cocoons and it can take ...
Here are a few ideas you can use to help protect bees in your yard. Place bird feeders out of the direct line of sight of your native bee house. Install our Bird Guard on the front of your Crown Bees bee house. Place hardware cloth with openings that ...