It's Time...

to take in your blocks and tubes with liners

Just a reminder: on June first (or very close to that date)

TAKE IN YOUR BLOCKS AND TUBES WITH LINERS

Don't delay!

Place the blocks and tubes with liners in a paper bag.
Place the mud plug side up. This may help keep the egg or larva on the pollen ball.
Fold over the top of the paper bag a couple of times and staple it shut.
Place the bag on a shelf in a garage or shed. (Not the top shelf where it can get very hot).

There are some very fine protective storage mesh bags that work as well. You will leave the blocks/tubes with liners in your garage or shed until harvest time in the late fall.

The mason bee has pretty much finished her job. You may still see a few around, but she likely has laid all the eggs that she had and she will die soon.

Why do we do this by June 1st?

Now is when the “mono” parasitic wasp begins to emerge. The numbers start growing rapidly over the next few weeks, so taking in the blocks and tubes will help keep this wasp from laying its eggs in the mason bee cells. You may see some very small wasps flying around your house if you still have them out.

If you do not take your blocks and tubes in now, the parasitic wasp will destroy many of the cocoons as it lays its eggs over the summer months. You will leave the blocks/tubes with liners in your garage or shed until harvest time in the late fall.

The Mason Bee will go through all of its life stages within the cocoons and by late September a fully developed bee will be inside the cocoon waiting for the right time to emerge in the spring. Harvesting the cocoons in mid Oct-early November will help get rid of pests and give the bees a very good survival rate.

Hint when using new blocks/tubes:
If you still have hatched cocoons in your emergence tube, you may want to save a few. If you have a new block or a site with new tubes, you can put these in a small container in your refrigerator or freezer until next March/April. These cocoons will have a “scent-attractant.” Next March/April you can stuff a few of these hatched cocoons in a hole of your new block or one tube to tell mason bees that this would be a good place to nest.

Note that previously used nesting sites “do not” need to have an attractant. The mason bees using those sites have already added their scent-attractant.

We will let you know if we can offer cocoon harvesting classes in the mid-Willamette Valley in mid-October or early November.
You can also find more information about registration in mid-September at: LinnMasterGardeners.com.

Note: this website also has archived Bee Notes & other information that may be helpful.

A New Emerging Pest

There is now another reason why we all must practice sanitation methods that we cover in our bee harvesting classes. There is a new pest of Mason Bees, the Houdini fly, Latin name: Cacoxenus indagator. Following is a description of the fly from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) which has confirmed reports of the Houdini fly in Washington State.

"The Houdini fly is a kleptoparasite. It does not attack mason bees directly, but lays its eggs on the pollen meant for the mason bee young. The Houdini fly maggots then emerge and consume the food before the mason bee larvae, which causes them to starve.

Houdini fly is believed to be permanently established in Washington. However, mason bee producers and home hobbyists can reduce the impact on managed mason bees, which in turn will also help wild mason bee populations, through good management practices.

Mason bees are native pollinators that are active for a short time in early spring. They are one of the few reliable pollinators during cool spring weather, which is important for many fruit crops for farmers and gardeners."

Web site sources to check out for more information:

https://cms.agr.wa.gov/WSDAKentico/Documents/PP/PestProgram/PestAlert-HoudiniFlyFeb2020.pdf

https://crownbees.com/houdinifly?mc_cid=ca6d3ec88e&mc_eid=9577931bb4

As always, thank you for supporting bees!

Note: Our guidelines are tailored to the Willamette Valley of Oregon. We want blue orchard mason bee cocoons that you purchase from us to be used within the east to west boundaries of the Coastal Range to the Cascades. The northern boundary is the Portland/Columbia River areas and southern boundary is the Umpqua Valley area. Check with your county Extension agent if you live outside these areas.

Questions? Contact:
Ranee Webb - Email Ranee
Rich Little - Email Rich

Link to Blue Orchard Mason Bee Calendar

Link to Leaf Cutter Bee Calendar

Email the Editor

Linn-Benton Master Gardener Program

Linn County MG Website

SUBSCRIBE to Bee Notes

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33630 McFarland Road. Tangent, OR 97389

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