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Re: [nafex] solitary bees



Mike,

We've been using solitary bees for about ten years.  The blue orchard bee is in
this area, Osmia lignaria, and they like 5/16" holes.

Check our web sites for some do's and don'ts (address below)... we found posts
were not very good.

You have a much colder winter than we do, but it is not a good idea to take them
in in our area because they hatch out before the fruit trees are ready. I had to
sweep the newly-emerged bees from the carport into the orchard when even the
dandelions weren't blooming.

I wouldn't worry about the wasps.  The ones we get are solitary wasps and they put
caterpillars in the straw and then lay their eggs in the stunned caterpillars.
These are 'good bugs'.

You'll probably find two or three different insects use the straws as nesting
places. The bramble bee, another Osmia, will use 5/16" straws even though she
prefers 1/4" holes.  The bramble bees includes bits of leaf in their mud doors so
the doors look green in the summer.  The colour fades to brown by Fall.

We have another one who uses pink/orange mud in late July.  We haven't identified
her yet.

Cheers,

Derry

Derry Walsh & Bill Chase  email:wchase@interchange.ubc.ca
Aldergrove,  B. C.,  Canada
phone/fax (604) 856-9316
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Home web page  http://www.interchange.ubc.ca/wchase/HTML
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: Some of us in SE PA as part of the Back Yard Fruit Growers are now
: using/raising solitary bees.  I have mine out near the orchard in
: their tubes which I've put into several 12" long capped pvc holders
: mounted on several poles that are up prevaling wind from my trees.
: The bees are now out and seem ok but some wasps have found the
: containers and are making nests in with the bees ... and from what I
: have read I am supposed to put them away til next Feb. Any ideas on
: how to get rid of the wasps?
: MIke



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