In the spring and summer, productive spring bees' nests present a buffet of food resources for pests and parasites. Fortunately, our understanding of the life cycle of spring bees helps us protect developing bees from parasitic wasps, ants, birds, and other predators. Female bees only forage and nest for about four to six weeks and produce one generation per year. So, once the females have completed nesting, you can remove and store the developing bees in a safe space away from hungry predators.
REMOVE
Spring bees have usually completed nesting by late spring or early summer—temperatures depending. Once females are no longer moving in and out of your bee house, it's time to remove the filled nesting materials.
Crown Bees Natural Reeds or Cardboard BeeTubes™ with Inserts
It is possible to remove individual filled nesting materials as soon as you see a mud-capped end. Many people use paper inserts for this very reason: They are easily replaced without shuffling the other materials, but be cautious. Bees use visual cues to locate their nests. If you shift nesting materials around, nesting females may become disorientated and abandon the nests. This is why we don't recommend removing individual nesting materials unless there is evidence of predators.
If you must remove filled tubes, replace them with empty ones without disturbing the other tubes so active females can locate their nests. We also recommend you make the swaps in the evenings to help females reorient themselves to the minor changes when they fly again in the morning.
Reusable Wood Trays
Wait until you no longer see females moving in and out of your bee house to remove the trays.
Pro Tip: Wild, native bees and beneficial solitary wasps are still flying and may use your bee house if you provide nesting materials. We suggest adding various diameter nesting materials to allow a safe place for these other pollinators to take up residence.
PROTECT
Place all filled nesting materials in a Crown Bees BeeGuard™ Bag or another breathable, translucent bag, with the mud-capped ends facing up. The bag will protect the developing bees from hungry predators. Placing the mud-capped ends face up will help ensure the egg and developing bee stay on top of the pollen loaf (bee food) provided by the mother bee. Clean mason jars, without lids, are perfect containers for your nesting reeds and tubes.
Pro Tip: If rodents are an issue, place nesting materials into a thick plastic or metal chew-proof container. Don't forget to add a few air holes to the container!
STORE
Store the filled nesting materials in a garage or shed that is neither heated nor air-conditioned until harvest time in the fall. Summer heat is vital for the bees to develop from eggs into adults, so store the bag in a dry area with natural outdoor temperatures. If you don’t have such a space, they can remain outside but protect them from rain, snow, and predators. Regularly check the BeeGuard™ Bag for the first few weeks and look for any parasites that may have emerged. They tend to float up to the top of the bag. Hold the top between the palms of your hands and rub briskly to kill any pests and parasites and keep them from attacking your developing bees..
Excessive Heat Warning
With extreme summer temperatures becoming more common in North America, many sheds and garages can quickly turn into ovens. Check to make sure your cocoon storage area stays consistent with outdoor temperatures. If it is too hot, move nesting materials to a cooler location, such as indoors, until the extreme heat passes. Please do not place the bees in the refrigerator. It is still too soon!
WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOUR SPRING BEES?
Set your calendar for October 1st. In the fall, you'll want to harvest cocoons. Harvesting Mason bee cocoons is a quick and easy way to ensure a healthier wild bee population! Check out our simple guide with video tutorials to help you learn how to harvest cocoons.