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Hi all=2C
=20
Last winter=2C several folks on NatureNS gave me some great advice about ma=
son bees with regard to a mason bee house purchased from Vesey's Seed as a =
gift for my boss. He did try it last summer (2013)=2C but whether he put th=
e house up too late in the spring=2C or in a bad location (the spot he chos=
e wasn't the one I recommended!)=2C it was a complete bust with no visible =
activity=2C and no takers for the nest tubes. Very disappointing!
=20
However=2C we persuaded him to give it another try this spring. He put it =
up in the middle of April=2C in a much better place... and on the first sun=
ny days of May the bees started going just foolish over it! He has photos =
in which you can see 4 or 5 females at work (in separate tubes) at the same=
time=2C and a short video that shows just how fast these insects operate! =
Half of the approx. 65 tubes are now "sealed up" and he's considering dril=
ling holes in some old planks to make a "second residence". Hard to say if=
these adult females will live long enough to help pollinate his cherry tre=
es (which was the whole purpose of the exercise=2C after all)=2C but at lea=
st we know there is definitely a local population of the critters in Wallac=
e=2C and they really like the Vesey's model!
=20
(If anyone is interested in trying to make an ID on the particular species =
of bee=2C I can try to send images.)
=20
A. Woolaver
=20
=20
From: awoolave@hotmail.com
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
CC: cory.silas.sheffield@gmail.com
Subject: RE: [NatureNS] re Looking for advice on mason bees
Date: Tue=2C 26 Feb 2013 17:05:16 -0400
Thanks very much=2C all=2C for your responses to my questions. I am quite =
encouraged by the information provided=2C and boss appreciated the Can. Ent=
omol. citation. He doesn't exactly have a whole cherry orchard=2C but as C=
ory says=2C it should be fun to see what he gets!
A. Woolaver=20
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
From: jimwolford@eastlink.ca
Subject: [NatureNS] re Looking for advice on mason bees
Date: Thu=2C 21 Feb 2013 23:28:47 -0400
Sorry=2C everyone=2C I had to send this a second time because I forgot to d=
elete the attachment. Jim
Begin forwarded message:
From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Date: February 21=2C 2013 11:26:28 PM AST
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>=2C Cory Sheffield <cory.silas.sheffi=
eld@gmail.com>=2C Steve Javorek <javoreks@agr.gc.ca>=2C Todd Smith <todd.sm=
ith@acadiau.ca>=2C kirk.hillier@acadiau.ca
Subject: re Looking for advice on mason bees
Cory=2C Thanks very much for this. For those on this list (NatureNS)=2C at=
tachments cannot be sent=2C but the title of the paper is "Diversity of cav=
ity-nesting bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) within apple orchards and wild habi=
tats in the Annapolis Valley=2C Nova Scotia=2C Canada -- by Cory S. Sheffie=
ld=2C Peter Kevan=2C Sue M. Weatby=2C and Robert F. Smith -- Can. Entomol. =
140: 235-249 (2008). I can send the attachment pdf of this paper to whoeve=
r asks me off the list=2C please.=20
Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.
Begin forwarded message:
From: Cory Sheffield <cory.silas.sheffield@gmail.com>
Date: February 21=2C 2013 8:28:07 PM AST
To: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Cc: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=2C nancy.roberts@ns.sympatico.ca
Subject: Re: Looking for advice on mason bees
I think the purpose of those nesting blocks is to fill them with
native cavity nesting species=2C and in NS there are several (see
attached paper)=2C several of which are rather large species. The Blue
Orchard Bee is the one that is managed in Canada=2C though primarily in
the west=2C it does occur as far east as ON=2C QC=2C with a few odd records
from NS (though this has not been verified).
If you put the nests out=2C you will get mason bees (Osmia) in the
spring=2C and Megachile (leaf cutters) in the summer (with possibly a
few other osmiine bees). It is very possible to grow your own! There
are over 200 bee species in NS=2C so it should be fun to see what you
get!
Cheers=2C
Cory
On Thu=2C Feb 21=2C 2013 at 2:36 PM=2C James W. Wolford
<jimwolford@eastlink.ca> wrote:
Cory or Steve=2C can either of you comment on this and on another answer th=
at
I will send you right after this one? Thanks from Jim et al.
Begin forwarded message:
From: Nancy Roberts <nancy.roberts@ns.sympatico.ca>
Date: February 20=2C 2013 10:01:30 PM AST
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Looking for advice on mason bees
Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
I don't know about mason bees=2C some blueberry growers are using bumblebee=
s
for pollination and more are using leaf cutter bees. I know of one grower=
=2C
Glenmore Farms (on google)=2C who supplies these species.
These species have been proven on blueberries and proven for NS climate=2C =
but
I don't know about cherry trees.
One thing bees =96 not mason bees=2C though =96 need is a succession of blo=
oming
things so they can keep going all season. You may have that since you
probably have a fair amount of wildflowers around.
There seems to be a Diversified Pollination Services=2C Kentiville=2C that
supplies mason bees and other alternatives to the honeybee.
Cheers=2C
Nancy
Nancy Roberts Design
Celebrating 19 years of making you look GOOD
Dartmouth=2C NS B2Y 2X6
902 461-9488
On 20-Feb-13=2C at 6:19 PM=2C Anne Woolaver wrote:
Hi all=2C
For a present this last Christmas=2C his employees gave my boss a mason bee
house (the tear-drop shaped one from Vesey's)=2C in hopes of better
pollination success for the cherry trees at his cottage in Wallace this
year. We didn't=2C however=2C buy any cocoons to go with it (Vesey's does =
not
sell them)=2C and I am now wondering whether that would have been a good id=
ea.
Does anyone have any experience with these houses and their ability to
attract nesting females "from scratch" in the northwest of Nova Scotia? Ho=
w
common are mason bees in Nova Scotia=2C and how far do they disperse when t=
hey
emerge in spring? Would they come out too early to be good cherry
pollinators? The property itself would probably be relatively suitable for
nesting (nearby water and mud)=2C although given the life cycle of this bee=
=2C
it might take a couple of years to build up a local population. Any
recommendations on possible suppliers of cocoons=2C ideally in eastern Cana=
da?
The only ones I've been able to find online seem to be a couple outfits fro=
m
BC.
Thanks in advance for advice=2C insight!
A. Woolaver
=
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<body class=3D'hmmessage'><div dir=3D'ltr'>Hi all=2C<BR>
 =3B<BR>
Last winter=2C several folks on NatureNS gave me some great advice about ma=
son bees with regard to a mason bee house =3Bpurchased from Vesey's See=
d as a gift for my boss. He did try it last summer (2013)=2C =3Bbut whe=
ther he put the house up too late in the spring=2C or in a bad location (th=
e spot he chose wasn't =3Bthe one I =3Brecommended!)=2C it was a co=
mplete bust with no visible activity=2C and no takers for the nest tubes. V=
ery disappointing!<BR>
 =3B<BR>
However=2C we persuaded him to give it another try this spring. =3B He =
put it up in the middle of April=2C in a much better place... =3Band&nb=
sp=3Bon the first sunny days of May the bees started going just foolish ove=
r it! =3B He has photos =3Bin which you can see 4 or 5 females at w=
ork (in separate tubes) at the same time=2C and a short video that shows ju=
st how fast these insects operate! =3B Half of the approx. 65 tubes are=
now =3B"sealed up" =3Band he's considering drilling holes in some =
old planks to make a "second residence". =3B Hard to say =3Bif thes=
e adult females will live long enough to help pollinate his cherry trees (w=
hich was the whole purpose of the exercise=2C after all)=2C but at least we=
know there is definitely a local population of the critters in Wallace=2C =
and they really like the Vesey's model!<BR>
 =3B<BR>
(If anyone is interested in trying to make an ID on the particular species =
of bee=2C I can try to send images.)<BR>
 =3B<BR>
A. Woolaver<BR>
 =3B<BR>
 =3B<BR>
<DIV>
<HR id=3DstopSpelling>
From: awoolave@hotmail.com<BR>To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR>CC: cory.silas=
.sheffield@gmail.com<BR>Subject: RE: [NatureNS] re Looking for advice on ma=
son bees<BR>Date: Tue=2C 26 Feb 2013 17:05:16 -0400<BR><BR>
<STYLE><!--
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<DIV dir=3Dltr>Thanks very much=2C all=2C for your responses to my question=
s. =3B I am quite encouraged by the information provided=2C and boss ap=
preciated the Can. Entomol. citation. =3B He doesn't exactly have a who=
le cherry orchard=2C but as Cory says=2C it should be fun to see what he ge=
ts!<BR><BR>A. Woolaver =3B<BR>
<DIV>
<DIV id=3DecxSkyDrivePlaceholder></DIV>
<HR id=3DecxstopSpelling>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR>From: jimwolford@eastlink.ca<BR>Subject: [Na=
tureNS] re Looking for advice on mason bees<BR>Date: Thu=2C 21 Feb 2013 23:=
28:47 -0400<BR><BR>Sorry=2C everyone=2C I had to send this a second time be=
cause I forgot to delete the attachment.  =3BJim<BR>
<DIV><BR>
<DIV>Begin forwarded message:</DIV><BR class=3DecxApple-interchange-newline=
>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica=3B COLOR: #000000" color=3D#000000=
size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>From: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px He=
lvetica" size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica>"James W. Wolford" <=3B<A href=3D"mail=
to:jimwolford@eastlink.ca">jimwolford@eastlink.ca</A>>=3B</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica=3B COLOR: #000000" color=3D#000000=
size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>Date: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px He=
lvetica" size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica>February 21=2C 2013 11:26:28 PM AST</FON=
T></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica=3B COLOR: #000000" color=3D#000000=
size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>To: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helv=
etica" size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica>NatureNS <=3B<A href=3D"mailto:naturens@=
chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A>>=3B=2C Cory Sheffield <=3B<=
A href=3D"mailto:cory.silas.sheffield@gmail.com">cory.silas.sheffield@gmail=
.com</A>>=3B=2C Steve Javorek <=3B<A href=3D"mailto:javoreks@agr.gc.ca"=
>javoreks@agr.gc.ca</A>>=3B=2C Todd Smith <=3B<A href=3D"mailto:todd.sm=
ith@acadiau.ca">todd.smith@acadiau.ca</A>>=3B=2C <A href=3D"mailto:kirk.h=
illier@acadiau.ca">kirk.hillier@acadiau.ca</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica=3B COLOR: #000000" color=3D#000000=
size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>Subject: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px=
Helvetica" size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>re Looking for advice on mason bee=
s</B></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>Cory=2C Thanks very much for this=
.  =3BFor those on this list (NatureNS)=2C attachments cannot be sent=
=2C but the title of the paper is "Diversity of cavity-nesting bees (Hymeno=
ptera: Apoidea) within apple orchards and wild habitats in the Annapolis Va=
lley=2C Nova Scotia=2C Canada -- by Cory S. Sheffield=2C Peter Kevan=2C Sue=
M. Weatby=2C and Robert F. Smith -- Can. Entomol. 140: 235-249 (2008). &nb=
sp=3BI can send the attachment pdf of this paper to whoever asks me off the=
list=2C please.=20
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.<BR>
<DIV><BR>
<DIV>Begin forwarded message:</DIV><BR class=3DecxApple-interchange-newline=
>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica=3B COLOR: #000000" color=3D#000000=
size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>From: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px He=
lvetica" size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica>Cory Sheffield <=3B<A href=3D"mailto:c=
ory.silas.sheffield@gmail.com">cory.silas.sheffield@gmail.com</A>>=3B</FO=
NT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica=3B COLOR: #000000" color=3D#000000=
size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>Date: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px He=
lvetica" size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica>February 21=2C 2013 8:28:07 PM AST</FONT=
></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica=3B COLOR: #000000" color=3D#000000=
size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>To: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helv=
etica" size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica>"James W. Wolford" <=3B<A href=3D"mailto=
:jimwolford@eastlink.ca">jimwolford@eastlink.ca</A>>=3B</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica=3B COLOR: #000000" color=3D#000000=
size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>Cc: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helv=
etica" size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><A href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca"=
>naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A>=2C <A href=3D"mailto:nancy.roberts@ns.sympatic=
o.ca">nancy.roberts@ns.sympatico.ca</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica=3B COLOR: #000000" color=3D#000000=
size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>Subject: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px=
Helvetica" size=3D3 face=3DHelvetica><B>Re: Looking for advice on mason be=
es</B></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I think the purpose of those nesting blocks is to fill them with</DIV>
<DIV>native cavity nesting species=2C and in NS there are several (see</DIV=
>
<DIV>attached paper)=2C several of which are rather large species.<SPAN cla=
ss=3DecxApple-converted-space> =3B </SPAN>The Blue</DIV>
<DIV>Orchard Bee is the one that is managed in Canada=2C though primarily i=
n</DIV>
<DIV>the west=2C it does occur as far east as ON=2C QC=2C with a few odd re=
cords</DIV>
<DIV>from NS (though this has not been verified).</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>If you put the nests out=2C you will get mason bees (Osmia) in the</DI=
V>
<DIV>spring=2C and Megachile (leaf cutters) in the summer (with possibly a<=
/DIV>
<DIV>few other osmiine bees).<SPAN class=3DecxApple-converted-space> =
=3B </SPAN>It is very possible to grow your own!<SPAN class=3DecxApple-conv=
erted-space> =3B </SPAN>There</DIV>
<DIV>are over 200 bee species in NS=2C so it should be fun to see what you<=
/DIV>
<DIV>get!</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Cheers=2C</DIV>
<DIV>Cory</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>On Thu=2C Feb 21=2C 2013 at 2:36 PM=2C James W. Wolford</DIV>
<DIV><=3B<A href=3D"mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca">jimwolford@eastlink.ca=
</A>>=3B wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV>Cory or Steve=2C can either of you comment on this and on another answ=
er that</DIV>
<DIV>I will send you right after this one?<SPAN class=3DecxApple-converted-=
space> =3B </SPAN>Thanks from Jim et al.</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Begin forwarded message:</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>From: Nancy Roberts <=3B<A href=3D"mailto:nancy.roberts@ns.sympatico=
.ca">nancy.roberts@ns.sympatico.ca</A>>=3B</DIV>
<DIV>Date: February 20=2C 2013 10:01:30 PM AST</DIV>
<DIV>To: <A href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=
</A></DIV>
<DIV>Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Looking for advice on mason bees</DIV>
<DIV>Reply-To: <A href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto=
.ns.ca</A></DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I don't know about mason bees=2C some blueberry growers are using bumb=
lebees</DIV>
<DIV>for pollination and more are using leaf cutter bees. I know of one gro=
wer=2C</DIV>
<DIV>Glenmore Farms (on google)=2C who supplies these species.</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>These species have been proven on blueberries and proven for NS climat=
e=2C but</DIV>
<DIV>I don't know about cherry trees.</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>One thing bees =96 not mason bees=2C though =96 need is a succession o=
f blooming</DIV>
<DIV>things so they can keep going all season. You may have that since you<=
/DIV>
<DIV>probably have a fair amount of wildflowers around.</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>There seems to be a Diversified Pollination Services=2C Kentiville=2C =
that</DIV>
<DIV>supplies mason bees and other alternatives to the honeybee.</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Cheers=2C</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Nancy</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Nancy Roberts Design</DIV>
<DIV>Celebrating 19 years of making you look GOOD</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Dartmouth=2C NS B2Y 2X6</DIV>
<DIV>902 461-9488</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>On 20-Feb-13=2C at 6:19 PM=2C Anne Woolaver wrote:</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Hi all=2C</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>For a present this last Christmas=2C his employees gave my boss a maso=
n bee</DIV>
<DIV>house (the tear-drop shaped one from Vesey's)=2C in hopes of better</D=
IV>
<DIV>pollination success for the cherry trees at his cottage in Wallace thi=
s</DIV>
<DIV>year.<SPAN class=3DecxApple-converted-space> =3B </SPAN>We didn't=
=2C however=2C buy any cocoons to go with it (Vesey's does not</DIV>
<DIV>sell them)=2C and I am now wondering whether that would have been a go=
od idea.</DIV>
<DIV>Does anyone have any experience with these houses and their ability to=
</DIV>
<DIV>attract nesting females "from scratch" in the northwest of Nova Scotia=
?<SPAN class=3DecxApple-converted-space> =3B </SPAN>How</DIV>
<DIV>common are mason bees in Nova Scotia=2C and how far do they disperse w=
hen they</DIV>
<DIV>emerge in spring?<SPAN class=3DecxApple-converted-space> =3B </SPA=
N>Would they come out too early to be good cherry</DIV>
<DIV>pollinators?<SPAN class=3DecxApple-converted-space> =3B </SPAN>The=
property itself would probably be relatively suitable for</DIV>
<DIV>nesting (nearby water and mud)=2C although given the life cycle of thi=
s bee=2C</DIV>
<DIV>it might take a couple of years to build up a local population.<SPAN c=
lass=3DecxApple-converted-space> =3B </SPAN>Any</DIV>
<DIV>recommendations on possible suppliers of cocoons=2C ideally in eastern=
Canada?</DIV>
<DIV>The only ones I've been able to find online seem to be a couple outfit=
s from</DIV>
<DIV>BC.</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Thanks in advance for advice=2C insight!</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV>A. Woolaver</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px"><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><=
/DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV></DIV></DIV> </div></body>
</html>=
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