Paul, yeah, unfortunately, that’s how I’ve been doing it, too. It’s not ideal. I’ve trying to locate someone with a larger throw drill press so I can do them in one shot. It’s a bear keeping them straight unless you have something rigged for your hand drill.

Hi, Doris. Different kind of bee, I think, from what you’re imagining. You might want to read a bit on mason bees to understand their life cycle.

In a nutshell, (since you have to start somewhere) they emerge from their cocoons in the early spring, pollinate fruit trees (mostly), the female lays her eggs in the tube with some pollen, patches up the holes, and… dies. The eggs hatch, eat the pollen, pupate into adults, and sleep in the cocoons for the rest of the winter.

I harvest them to keep them at an even (low) temperature to prevent premature emergence. I also clean the cocoons to get rid of mites, which will build up over time and trash your bees if you don’t deal with them.

So, they’re actually in my frig over the winter. I put them in a release box in the spring. And there ya go… back to emerging in the spring.

Rian

I thought you put of the block and the bees did their thing, which was to lay eggs, make babies, and then bees emerge and pollinate your tomatoes.

Why do you harvest your bees, and why are they still in the holed next year?

I am seriously missing something. Please explain.

Doris