Subject: [permaculture] OT: Does anyone know of a source of orchard mason bees?

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 17:18:33 -0500

Howdy,

I am in zone 6 with a zone 5 microclimate. It's still quite cool here and the
fruit trees have not yet opened their buds. I am looking for a regional source
of orchard mason bees--osmia lignaria (got the blocks already). It seems the
west coast suppliers are out or done for the season.  Am I too late?

thanks
-- 
dawn 
aka gardenbetty

We will be known by the tracks we leave behind... —Dakota proverb

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From: "Guy Clark" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 04:44:26 -0600

Hello-
	FEDCO in Waterville, ME carries orchard mason bees in blocks. I do not
know if they are still taking orders. It may be too late in the season for
them.
Namaste',
Guy Clark

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From: Kelley <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 03:47:51 -0500

What are orchard mason bees?

Kelley

Guy Clark wrote:

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From: "Guy Clark" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 23:07:16 -0600

Kelley-
	The Orchard Mason Bee is a bee that is tons more efficient in pollinating
than the honey bee. Their scientific name is Osmia Lingaria Propinqua
Cresson and it is native to the U.S. and Canada West of the Rockies; East
of the Rockies its cousin, Osmia Lingaria Lingaria Say is widespread. There
is a wonderfully informative and fun book called The Orchard Mason Bee: The
Life History, Biology, Propagation and Use of a Truly Benevolent and
Beneficial Insect by Brian L. Griffin. They are amazing pollinators, "Greg
Dickman, in his brochure, Orchard Bees", states that the Orchard Mason
visits more blossoms each day than the honey bee, and pollinates a much
higher percentage of those blooms visited. He states that the honey bee
visits an average seven hundred blooms daily. It pollinates only thirty of
them, a mere five percent success rate. He further claims that our Orchard
Mason pollinates 1600 flowers per day, a pollination success rate of
ninety-five to ninety-nine percent." A fully scientific study has not been
done, but there is little doubt that the Orchard Mason be is an extremely
efficient pollinator. And they begin much earlier in the spring.
Namaste',
Guy Clark

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 17:23:20 EST

Hi Guy,

Thanks for the very interesting post on Orchard Bees.

I'd like to include bees in my plans ...but am a rank amateur .

Perhaps somewhere down the road. Can you tell me what you need toraise these
kind of bees...are they resistant to varroa mite that has ravaged so many
hives?

Happy Easter to all.   Namaste:)  Frank

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 17:52:24 -0500

Howdy,

The orchard mason bee or hornfaced bee (same family--osmia) are easy to
steward. They are solitary bees that nest in predrilled holes. They usually
take abandoned beetle tunnels in trees, but will take quite well to any 5/16"
ish hole. For best female production--the pollinating sex--you should
/cleanly/ drill a non pressure treated block full of  5/16" holes 6" deep. If
you can sand smooth the bottom of the hole, even better. Hang the block in the
orchard and either stock it with bees or wait for them to come. The bees have
a range of about 10o yards. They emerge as the fruit trees come into bloom,
pollinate like crazy, taking the pollen back to their holes for storage. As
the fruit flower period ends, the female lays eggs in the stored pollen in the
holes, then "masons" the hole shut with mud. For this reason, they like to
have a water source nearby within their range. Once the nest is sealed they
die. Over and done in no time. Great for fruit, no so great for veggies. Warm
weather honeybees and cool weather osmia bees are perfect compliments.

Because of this habit, they are not affected by varroa mite or other honeybee
plagues. However, their nests can become fodder for parasitic wasps and
certain fungi. To solve this, there are different commercial products
available to osmia bee stewards: paper straws replaced yearly to line the
nesting holes provide a clean, dry fungus-free environment; and guard tubes to
block entry by parasitic wasps. These products are available very cheaply and
once you see how they are made, you can improvise your own if you want to take
the time and effort. Some people put ultra fine mesh screening over the blocks
to prevent wasps. Some just take their blocks down once the nest is sealed and
store them in the fridge till the next year. However osmia bees are very
prolific reproducers: by year 5 you could easily have to buy a fridge just to
house your bees!

You could also try drilling other size holes and see what kind of creatures
show up. At different widths, you can encouraged leaf-cutter bees (warm
weather solitary bees), beneficial parasitic wasps, and various mystery
beelike insects I've yet to identify but seem to cause no harm.

I strongly recommend this website by the US authority on these bees.
http://www.accessone.com/~knoxclr/omb.htm

good luck!

dawn 
aka gardenbetty

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 11:38:27 EST

Hi,

Dawn...thanks for the great post and the URL on the mason bees. Glad to hear
they are not as susceptible to varroa. 

I'm planning on putting a small orchard fairly within 200 ft of the house do
you think they'd be a problem in that location. I could possibly locate the
hives further away.

<<http://www.accessone.com/~knoxclr/omb.htm>>

Happy Easter!   Frank

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 13:10:11 -0500

Hi Frank,

mason bees are extremely gentle; you can even hold them in your hand. When
they do sting it is less severe than, say, a honeybee or yellow jacket (yikes!)

They often nest in holes or crevices they find on your house, so I wouldn't
worry about proximity. You could even mount their homes on the east or south
side of your house itself. They need protection from wind and water and like a
sunny spot that won't get hotter than 90 degrees F. Just make sure they are
very close to your trees.

One note: mason bees don't live in hives. They are solitary bees and their
homes (blocks) are more like condo associations than hives!:)

Happy Equinox and Passover!

dawn 
aka gardenbetty

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From: "Guy Clark" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 15:08:19 -0500

Kelley-
	Yes, they should do well in the NE. Fedco in Waterville, ME sells them and
extols their virtue.
Namaste',
Guy Clark

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