A quicker way - which I advise to my network - is to place the spaces that cant be opened, nest entrance upwards (like yours) in a sealed cardboard box with a single exit hole at the top.
Having converted a couple of those bee houses I'd like to disagree on how to deal with the bamboo. They can be opened easily by standing them upright on a firm surface and placing a utility knife blade on the open end. A tap with pliers or any solid tool will split the bamboo open (safely). The blade can go 1/2 in. or so into the bamboo without harm. A twist on the knife blade opens the cocoon which can then be cleaned out and discarded along with mites and other bad guys. I appreciate your video's, having learned a great deal from them.
Thank you for your feedback. Some bamboo can be opened, but it can be difficult. In our "How to Harvest, Wash & Store Your Mason Bee Cocoons" video we demo how to do this. Here is the link th-cam.com/video/9_1WlEDTyhk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=NAauA24DqhCI3VVg
It's June 1st, and, about a week ago I discovered that mason bees have populated one of those crappy "mason bee houses" with bamboo tubes that I left on my back porch and then forgot about. Nature finds a way, doesn't it? Nesting activity seems to have stopped for the year, but I want to do what I can, now, to save what bees are in those tubes. I believe I can disassemble the "house" carefully, and with a bit of luck, hope that the tubes are not horribly glued in place. I'm willing to consider carefully splitting the tubes to extract the bee cocoons, if I can get the tubes out safely from the disassembled house. I have a mesh bag that the house (or extracted tubes) will fit in, to help protect against predators. Absent that option, it seems that the whole house might need to go into cold storage until next spring. My porch is not covered, so I'd like to get them out of the direct sun now that nesting seems to have stopped (there's still a few stragglers who show up to fill what empty tubes are left) Can I contact you guys to discuss my options?
Hi David. If anything new was laid this season you’ll want to remove and store in garage or shed over summer. You can buy some tule to wrap it up with. In the fall, when they’re safe in cocoons, you can disassemble everything. I’ve done this for a few people and pliers to pull bamboo out and chisel to split bamboo open worked well. Then pull out any viable cocoons you may find and dispose of everything else. If it’s never been cleaned you may not find many alive and only predators and dried up cocoons. Here are a couple more videos to watch. How to Store Mason Bees Over Summer th-cam.com/video/ReJmfnISTZQ/w-d-xo.html Identify What’s Inside Your Nesting Material th-cam.com/video/zLg0bYXgu-U/w-d-xo.html Please subscribe to our newsletter to help guide you through your season. We also still have leafcutter bees if you’d like to release them into your yard. They are summer pollinators. th-cam.com/video/FRF6Hg9axJw/w-d-xo.html Newsletter Sign up - rentmasonbees.com/newsletter-signup/ Please make sure your spam filter accepts info@rentmasonbees.com
@@RentMasonBees Thank you for your prompt reply. I've placed the house in its mesh protective storage bag, tube ends facing up, in my garage, which is underneath my home, mostly below ground level. It stays a pretty consistent 65 degrees, which Im assuming is ok. Even if I decide not to split the bamboo tubes open, would this still be ok for storage until Spring? One other question. If I choose to tackle splitting the tubes open, how far into fall/winter is safe as to the bees being safely snug in their cocoons? I don't want to start splitting the tubes before the bee cocoons are ready to be harvested. Thank you, again!!
This is a great tip! Last year I bought some masons from another beekeeper and they arrived in bamboo tubes :( Wish I would have known this then! Masons ended up re-nesting in them before I knew what was happening. I did manage to safely split them open last Fall to get them out so this would not be a problem again this year. Thank you for this video!
I bought a mason bee house at Costco years ago and its never been used by any local residents. I've since learned I put it in a terrible spot--north facing & under the patio eaves (dark.) I'm now wondering if I should dismantle it to try replacing the old tubes or just start over? We have extreme southern exposure (VERY got in summer) and moderate western exposure options for our outer walls. Living in the PNW, Puget Sound corridor.
The stacking tray in the center can be easily opened, so I would open to just make sure it’s clean. The bamboo is super glued to the back and can be removed with pliers. You can refill with cardboard tubes which can then be opened and cleaned in the fall. If you want to maintain and clean your own mason bees here is a video on how to do that. If you don’t, you can release bees and rent out nesting blocks that you send back in September and we’ll clean all the predators. How to clean & store video th-cam.com/video/9_1WlEDTyhk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zyFd7QYYk8lxtDV
@@RentMasonBees That's awesome! It may be easier for me to do the rental for now. I've got some physical limitations and I never know when I'll hit tilt anymore as I recover. It's a day by day, exertion by exertion thing. I haven't looked yet, but I'm assuming there's a website to do the rental thing.
I covered my nest holes with about 3/4” of sawdust. It fell into the holes as the bees emerged, but didn’t fill the holes because they’re 6” deep. They didn’t seem to mind a little sawdust in the bottom-they refilled the holes anyway.
Maybe a silly question but can you just disassemble the bamboo tube collection into singles every fall like the cardboard ones and leave them in a bucket of water and soap or something to clean. Maybe rotate the bamboo tubes every year, like one group of tubes is deployed while the others are cleaned and stored in a sealed container?
Bamboo can attract mold and harm the bees as well as the chalkbrood and pollen mites that are inside. Studies haven't been done on how long the chalkbrood fungus or pollen mites will last for inside the tubes. It's best to start with clean nesting material every spring.
I have had that Red Roof bee house for 5 years, but am unable to clean the tubes obviously. You didnt mention the time if year to use the sawdust and/ or grass seed to cover the occupant bees.
If you're not able to clean, the sawdust method is in early spring before the bees have started to emerge. The best time to harvest and clean your cocoons are in the fall. Here is a video on how to do that. th-cam.com/video/9_1WlEDTyhk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=dmHxV-7bGSyY60rZ
Thank you for asking. The best type of nesting material is the kind you can open and clean in the fall. Copper/brass pipes cannot be opened to be cleaned, so we'd advise against using those. Every fall nesting material and cocoons need to be cleaned of predators and the following spring new clean nesting material needs to be put out.
@@RentMasonBees Hi there thankyou for the prompt reply!☺️....If I designed a box for them so that they could all be removed and cleaned then would that be okay?🤔.
@@RentMasonBees hi there, they are old hot/cold water and radiator pipes I will cut them all to the same length then put them in a block which can sit inside an outer skin made of wood(sides and back, protected with a water based varnish if okay?)(the rear of the pipes will butt upto this).and a removable roof then when the bees have gone and it's time to clean it I just lift the roof off, remove the block of pipes and give them a clean out with a pipe cleaner and put it back ready for their next return....how's that?..☺️
@@195Bucks I wish it was that easy. You can watch this video to see how to clean the mason bee cocoons and then every spring you'll need to provide new nesting tubes. The ones they used the previous year could have pollen mites or chalkbrood. How to Clean Mason Bees th-cam.com/video/wzDWeADhOno/w-d-xo.html
A quicker way - which I advise to my network - is to place the spaces that cant be opened, nest entrance upwards (like yours) in a sealed cardboard box with a single exit hole at the top.
Having converted a couple of those bee houses I'd like to disagree on how to deal with the bamboo. They can be opened easily by standing them upright on a firm surface and placing a utility knife blade on the open end. A tap with pliers or any solid tool will split the bamboo open (safely). The blade can go 1/2 in. or so into the bamboo without harm. A twist on the knife blade opens the cocoon which can then be cleaned out and discarded along with mites and other bad guys. I appreciate your video's, having learned a great deal from them.
Thank you for your feedback. Some bamboo can be opened, but it can be difficult. In our "How to Harvest, Wash & Store Your Mason Bee Cocoons" video we demo how to do this. Here is the link th-cam.com/video/9_1WlEDTyhk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=NAauA24DqhCI3VVg
I agree. Split them before hand and then tape them back together. They can be cleaned and disinfected easily.
It's June 1st, and, about a week ago I discovered that mason bees have populated one of those crappy "mason bee houses" with bamboo tubes that I left on my back porch and then forgot about. Nature finds a way, doesn't it? Nesting activity seems to have stopped for the year, but I want to do what I can, now, to save what bees are in those tubes. I believe I can disassemble the "house" carefully, and with a bit of luck, hope that the tubes are not horribly glued in place. I'm willing to consider carefully splitting the tubes to extract the bee cocoons, if I can get the tubes out safely from the disassembled house. I have a mesh bag that the house (or extracted tubes) will fit in, to help protect against predators. Absent that option, it seems that the whole house might need to go into cold storage until next spring. My porch is not covered, so I'd like to get them out of the direct sun now that nesting seems to have stopped (there's still a few stragglers who show up to fill what empty tubes are left) Can I contact you guys to discuss my options?
Hi David. If anything new was laid this season you’ll want to remove and store in garage or shed over summer. You can buy some tule to wrap it up with. In the fall, when they’re safe in cocoons, you can disassemble everything. I’ve done this for a few people and pliers to pull bamboo out and chisel to split bamboo open worked well. Then pull out any viable cocoons you may find and dispose of everything else. If it’s never been cleaned you may not find many alive and only predators and dried up cocoons. Here are a couple more videos to watch.
How to Store Mason Bees Over Summer
th-cam.com/video/ReJmfnISTZQ/w-d-xo.html
Identify What’s Inside Your Nesting Material
th-cam.com/video/zLg0bYXgu-U/w-d-xo.html
Please subscribe to our newsletter to help guide you through your season. We also still have leafcutter bees if you’d like to release them into your yard. They are summer pollinators.
th-cam.com/video/FRF6Hg9axJw/w-d-xo.html
Newsletter Sign up - rentmasonbees.com/newsletter-signup/
Please make sure your spam filter accepts info@rentmasonbees.com
@@RentMasonBees Thank you for your prompt reply. I've placed the house in its mesh protective storage bag, tube ends facing up, in my garage, which is underneath my home, mostly below ground level. It stays a pretty consistent 65 degrees, which Im assuming is ok. Even if I decide not to split the bamboo tubes open, would this still be ok for storage until Spring?
One other question. If I choose to tackle splitting the tubes open, how far into fall/winter is safe as to the bees being safely snug in their cocoons? I don't want to start splitting the tubes before the bee cocoons are ready to be harvested. Thank you, again!!
This is a great tip! Last year I bought some masons from another beekeeper and they arrived in bamboo tubes :( Wish I would have known this then! Masons ended up re-nesting in them before I knew what was happening. I did manage to safely split them open last Fall to get them out so this would not be a problem again this year. Thank you for this video!
I bought a mason bee house at Costco years ago and its never been used by any local residents. I've since learned I put it in a terrible spot--north facing & under the patio eaves (dark.) I'm now wondering if I should dismantle it to try replacing the old tubes or just start over? We have extreme southern exposure (VERY got in summer) and moderate western exposure options for our outer walls. Living in the PNW, Puget Sound corridor.
The stacking tray in the center can be easily opened, so I would open to just make sure it’s clean. The bamboo is super glued to the back and can be removed with pliers. You can refill with cardboard tubes which can then be opened and cleaned in the fall. If you want to maintain and clean your own mason bees here is a video on how to do that. If you don’t, you can release bees and rent out nesting blocks that you send back in September and we’ll clean all the predators.
How to clean & store video th-cam.com/video/9_1WlEDTyhk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zyFd7QYYk8lxtDV
@@RentMasonBees That's awesome! It may be easier for me to do the rental for now. I've got some physical limitations and I never know when I'll hit tilt anymore as I recover. It's a day by day, exertion by exertion thing. I haven't looked yet, but I'm assuming there's a website to do the rental thing.
@@birdlandartrenae2632 yes
rentmasonbees.com
I covered my nest holes with about 3/4” of sawdust. It fell into the holes as the bees emerged, but didn’t fill the holes because they’re 6” deep. They didn’t seem to mind a little sawdust in the bottom-they refilled the holes anyway.
Determined little bees. Once they've all emerged, you'll want to remove that old nesting material so that it's not tempting to them.
@@RentMasonBees Yeah. Because of the sawdust, it's impossible to know when they've all emerged. And it didn't prevent them from reentering. Oh well!
Maybe a silly question but can you just disassemble the bamboo tube collection into singles every fall like the cardboard ones and leave them in a bucket of water and soap or something to clean. Maybe rotate the bamboo tubes every year, like one group of tubes is deployed while the others are cleaned and stored in a sealed container?
Bamboo can attract mold and harm the bees as well as the chalkbrood and pollen mites that are inside. Studies haven't been done on how long the chalkbrood fungus or pollen mites will last for inside the tubes. It's best to start with clean nesting material every spring.
I have had that Red Roof bee house for 5 years, but am unable to clean the tubes obviously. You didnt mention the time if year to use the sawdust and/ or grass seed to cover the occupant bees.
If you're not able to clean, the sawdust method is in early spring before the bees have started to emerge.
The best time to harvest and clean your cocoons are in the fall. Here is a video on how to do that. th-cam.com/video/9_1WlEDTyhk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=dmHxV-7bGSyY60rZ
Super. Great job😃👍🐝🐝
I have alot of copper/brass pipe at home I was wondering if I cut this up would it make good bee tubes?....
Thank you for asking. The best type of nesting material is the kind you can open and clean in the fall. Copper/brass pipes cannot be opened to be cleaned, so we'd advise against using those. Every fall nesting material and cocoons need to be cleaned of predators and the following spring new clean nesting material needs to be put out.
@@RentMasonBees Hi there thankyou for the prompt reply!☺️....If I designed a box for them so that they could all be removed and cleaned then would that be okay?🤔.
@@195Bucks yes. If they’re the right size and you can open and clean. how would you cut open the pipes? Or you could use removable cardboard tubes.
@@RentMasonBees hi there, they are old hot/cold water and radiator pipes I will cut them all to the same length then put them in a block which can sit inside an outer skin made of wood(sides and back, protected with a water based varnish if okay?)(the rear of the pipes will butt upto this).and a removable roof then when the bees have gone and it's time to clean it I just lift the roof off, remove the block of pipes and give them a clean out with a pipe cleaner and put it back ready for their next return....how's that?..☺️
@@195Bucks I wish it was that easy. You can watch this video to see how to clean the mason bee cocoons and then every spring you'll need to provide new nesting tubes. The ones they used the previous year could have pollen mites or chalkbrood. How to Clean Mason Bees th-cam.com/video/wzDWeADhOno/w-d-xo.html
inconsistent sound quality/volume. get a better mike.
Yes. We have 3 employees and are making our own videos. We're NEWbees!! We now have learned how to mic up for future videos. Thank you for watching.