Comments on: Solitary bees 2009! http://solitarybee.com/blog/2009/03/solitary-bees-2009/ Orchard Mason Bees and other native bees Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:20:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: sb http://solitarybee.com/blog/2009/03/solitary-bees-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-300 sb Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:38:02 +0000 http://solitarybee.com/blog/?p=164#comment-300 Hi Andrew, I think that would constitute success yes, so congratulations. Bamboo is great, and there are some other hollow stem plants that when dried out that you can use such as hogweed (and I have this year quite successfully), even reeds from bullrushes. You can even roll brown paper round 8-10mm wood doweling sealed with mud and they are very grateful. This year I tripled my population using these simple methods. In winter you can leave them outside, or in a garage but out of the way of excessive exposure to rain/wind to avoid getting them excessively wet or dry. Anyway, even if it freezes, like all insects their 'blood' is based on glycol (anti-freeze) so they won't be killed off. Even if you are up on the moors I don't think the outdoor temperatures will cause any difficulties. How many of your bamboo did you find sealed and how did you get into mason bees? Cheers, Paul. Hi Andrew,
I think that would constitute success yes, so congratulations.
Bamboo is great, and there are some other hollow stem plants that when dried out that you can use such as hogweed (and I have this year quite successfully), even reeds from bullrushes. You can even roll brown paper round 8-10mm wood doweling sealed with mud and they are very grateful. This year I tripled my population using these simple methods.

In winter you can leave them outside, or in a garage but out of the way of excessive exposure to rain/wind to avoid getting them excessively wet or dry. Anyway, even if it freezes, like all insects their ‘blood’ is based on glycol (anti-freeze) so they won’t be killed off. Even if you are up on the moors I don’t think the outdoor temperatures will cause any difficulties.

How many of your bamboo did you find sealed and how did you get into mason bees?

Cheers, Paul.

]]> By: andrew http://solitarybee.com/blog/2009/03/solitary-bees-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-287 andrew Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:01:33 +0000 http://solitarybee.com/blog/?p=164#comment-287 Hi, I have a video of a bee entering my bamboo homemade bee nest, does this mean I have been successful in providing a suitable habitat? What do I do with the bee nests in winter (I live in Devon) Would you like the video? Thanks Andrew. Hi,
I have a video of a bee entering my bamboo homemade bee nest, does this mean I have been successful in providing a suitable habitat?
What do I do with the bee nests in winter (I live in Devon)
Would you like the video?
Thanks
Andrew.

]]> By: sb http://solitarybee.com/blog/2009/03/solitary-bees-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-208 sb Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:06:30 +0000 http://solitarybee.com/blog/?p=164#comment-208 Hi there Raland - have sent you a email. Sorry that I haven't put my contact details online as yet, however like the bees I am actually quite approachable. It will be great to see your photos and if you want we can post some here. On that subject I am thinking about ways on here that I can show other people's experiences with solitary bee populations, so am very happy to receive feedback and ideas. Oh yes, for info my name is Paul. Hi there Raland – have sent you a email. Sorry that I haven’t put my contact details online as yet, however like the bees I am actually quite approachable. It will be great to see your photos and if you want we can post some here.
On that subject I am thinking about ways on here that I can show other people’s experiences with solitary bee populations, so am very happy to receive feedback and ideas. Oh yes, for info my name is Paul.

]]> By: Raland C http://solitarybee.com/blog/2009/03/solitary-bees-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-207 Raland C Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:29:39 +0000 http://solitarybee.com/blog/?p=164#comment-207 I'm currently in southern Maryland in the United States. I'd like to send you some digital photographs of the solitary bees that I've seen here. Please send me your email address so that I can send you the pictures if you are interested. I’m currently in southern Maryland in the United States. I’d like to send you some digital photographs of the solitary bees that I’ve seen here. Please send me your email address so that I can send you the pictures if you are interested.

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