How to Raise Solitary Bees
When can you open your nest?
Fall when all nesting activity has ceased.
What can you expect to find?
Cocoons
Mason, leafcutter and silk bees
Predators (Houdini fly larvae), mites and fungi (Chalk brood)
Identify remove and discard
- cocoons affected by common predators, paracites and mites
- cocoons infected with fugi ascosphera chalk broad
What do you do?
How and where do you store cocoons?
Scrape out healthy cocoons from nesting boards and store in nesting box (cigar box or similar and drill an 8-10 mm exit- air hole. Store nesting box dry outside or in refrigerator at 5 deg. celcius). Before avg. temperature reaches 10 celcius (early) spring place nesting box on top or next to your habeetat. The bees will emerge and a new generation will repopulate the nest while pollinating your garden.
Bee health(y)
Caring and cleaning your nets each fall for paracites and infections is essential for maintaining healthy bee populations. Its an easy to do and educational exercise for all ages.