Mason bee a solution to pollination woes
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March 26, 2014 |
 Despite
“green thumb” efforts last spring, many
gardeners are reporting lackluster plant and
food production. Quite possibly, the reason was
a lack of bee pollination. There is a solution;
the diminutive, garden-friendly mason bee, a
super pollinator that rarely stings.
Cindi Kimball, CNP, Moose Valley Farms, explained, “Bees pollinate
one-third of our food supply, which relies
heavily on the troubled honey bee. We need more
alternative bee pollinators. Our store is part
of the movement to close the bee gap and protect
our food supply. We are helping our customers
create healthy garden yields by supplying
gentle-natured mason bees and bee-safe
products.”
Mason bees are terrific garden companions. A
single mason bee efficiently pollinates 12
pounds of cherries - a task requiring 60 honey
bees to achieve the same result. This 1:60 mason
bee/honey bee ratio applies to other spring
fruits (i.e., apples), flowering plants and nuts
(i.e., blueberries).
About the size of a house fly, these amazing
pollinators are very gentle and rarely sting.
They team well with honey bee pollinators, but
stay closer to the nest. While they don’t
produce honey, they’re gardener and family
friendly, making them fun to observe and easy to
raise.
Cindi describes six easy steps to help gardeners
successfully raise mason bees, and achieve
better pollination. Get details about these
steps and products from Moose Valley Farms,
www.moosevalleyfarms.com, or learn more from
their gentle bee partner, crown bees, at
www.crownbees.com.
1. Plant nutritious, pollen-rich bee food in your garden and yard.
2. Create a safe bee “nursery” for egg laying. This includes a
sheltered house that keeps nest-building
material dry and safe.
3. Select safe nest-building material (tubes, reeds or wood trays).
Avoid plastic and drilled holes.
4. Keep moist, clayey-mud within 50 feet of nest. Females use mud
to seal each pollen/egg chamber.
5. Use fewer chemicals, and use them wisely.
6. Harvest your bee cocoons to help the bee population thrive.
Overwinter in the fridge in a container.
“To close the bee gap, we need more bees each
season,” Cindi said. “Harvest your cocoons and
give your extra bees to other gardeners, or join
the bee buy-back program sponsored by Crown
Bees. They take healthy cocoons in trade for
nesting materials, or cash, and then re-home
them.
"By increasing the mason bee population at the
gardener level, we’ll be able to later meet the
demands from commercial orchards and food
growers. Everyone benefits by raising mason
bees.”
Moose Valley Farms is an independent,
family-owned garden center, greenhouse and feed
store in Naples, Idaho. Staffing Certified
Nursery Professionals and a friendly and
knowledgeable staff, Moose Valley Farms offers a
wide variety of plants, gardening products, feed
and supplies, as well as a wealth of knowledge
that they love to share with the community. For
further information, call
Moose Valley Farms at (208) 267-5108 or email
Cindi at
cindikimball@moosevalleyfarms.com.
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WHAT MASON BEES NEED
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ACTIVITIES TO HELP BEES THRIVE
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Spring Garden Planning
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Pollen
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Plant pollen-rich fruit
trees
and flowering plants.
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House for bee nursery
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Select
a
bee house that keeps nesting material
dry and safe.
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Nest-building material
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Create a safe bee “nursery” for egg
laying. Use natural materials like
tubes, reeds,
or wood trays.
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Moist mud for babies
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Ensure there
is moist, clayey mud nearby (within 50’
of the nest.) The female uses this mud
to seal each pollen/egg chamber.
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Fewer chemicals
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Chemicals can harm bees. Be wise in
using garden chemicals
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Fall Harvesting
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Harvest bee cocoons
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Harvest your fruit, then harvest cocoons
in the fall for next season’s crops
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Overwinter healthy cocoons
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Store
hibernating cocoons in a container in
the fridge. Place them outside when your
blossoms are ready to be pollinated.
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