Learn How to Harvest and Clean Mason Bee Cocoons

When raising your own mason bees, there are three crucial steps to protect them from harmful predators like pollen mites, chalkbrood, and houdini flies:

1. Beginning of Spring: Place Clean Nesting Material Out Every Spring and Use Nesting Material that Can Easily Be Opened
   • Use nesting material that can be opened and cleaned, such as stacking trays or cardboard tubes.
2. End of Spring: Remove and Store Nesting Material Safely Over Summer
   • At the end of spring, remove the nesting material and store it in a cool garage or shed. Since mason bees only live for 6-8 weeks, leaving them out over summer can expose them to predators like mono wasps and birds. Store bees over summer
3. In the Fall: Harvest and Clean Nesting Material
   • In the fall, open all the nesting material and clean everything thoroughly. If you are renting nesting blocks from our program, simply mail back the nesting block in September, and we will handle the harvesting and cleaning for you. If you are raising your own bees, here is a step-by-step video on how to do it

• Steps for Cleaning Mason Bee Nesting Material: 
  1. Remove Cocoons: Gently remove cocoons from nesting material to eliminate invasive predators.
  2. Wash Cocoons: Mason bee cocoons are waterproof and need to be washed in a mild bleach solution to remove pollen mites and chalkbrood.
  3. Dry Cocoons: Dry cocoons overnight so they don’t mold in hibernation.
  4. Candle Cocoons: Use a flashlight to pick out any non-viable cocoons that are amber or see through
  5. Sterilize Nesting Material: If you use stacking trays, use flame to burn any remaining pollen mites or chalkbrood. Replace all tubes with new ones in spring.
  6. Store in Winter Hibernation: Store your clean cocoons in humidity-controlled refrigerator.

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