<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2">Saanich News<BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="3"><B><A HREF="http://www.saanichnews.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=28&cat=46&id=&more=">The buzz about mason bees</A></B></FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><A HREF="http://www.saanichnews.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=28&cat=46&id=&more="><BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="1"><B>By Pam<BR>
Tempelmayr</B></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="1"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="1"><I>Apr 20 2007</I></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> In Bloom</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> Have you noticed a shiny blue bee or what might look like a furry fly in your garden or orchard?</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> Chances are you have seen an orchard mason bee, Osmia lignaria, and you must consider yourself fortunate. These are one of the best pollinators you can have. These insects are a type of honeybee usually a bit smaller in size than the domesticated variety kept by beekeepers.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> Females, unlike these honeybee counterparts, who have sacs on their legs for collecting pollen, have hairs on the underside of their abdomens (called scopa) for this purpose. Since their habit is to land on the top of blossoms they are constantly transferring pollen as they move from blossom to blossom. I’ve found their holes under the siding on our old shed as well as in the tree bark on our property.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> These holes in which females lay eggs are not anything to be concerned about, as this fuzzy little bee doesn’t excavate at all. It actually cleans out loose debris from existing holes. She picks holes about 1/4 to 3/8 inches (about 2 1/2 cm) in diameter and three to six inches (7 1/2 – 15 1/4 cm) deep.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> The first chore as pre-stated is cleaning out the hole, and then the bee places a mud plug at the bottom. Into this she busily transfers 15 to 20 loads of pollen and nectar, which provides food for her progeny. Once she has sufficient stores she lays her egg and seals the cell with a tiny plug of mud. She then supplies another cell the same way on and on until the hole is nearly filled.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> At this stage, she seals the entrance with another thick mud plug. This seal is also important for your identification as some wasps and leaf-cutters also lay in similar holes. The mason bee’s plug is always rough, while that of a wasp is smooth and a leaf-cutters hole is sealed with chewed leaves.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> Females live about one month laying about two eggs a day. Larva hatch from egg after a few days and begin eating provisions. Once these are eaten (about 10 days) the larva spins a cocoon and pupates.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> They remain in cocoon until spring. Males (smaller with long antennae) emerge first then females emerge from inner cells a few days later, chewing through cocoons and mud plugs. They begin nesting in three or four days. If weather cools it might take one or two weeks for all bees to emerge.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> Mason bees aren’t just great pollinators, they are totally non-aggressive and rarely if ever sting and the sting is more like a mosquito bite.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> Some gardeners I know have mason bee houses hanging under the eaves of the shed next to fruit trees. They are simply made (or bought) by drilling holes 1/4 to 3/8 inches (about 21/2 cm) in diameter and three to six inches (about 7 1/2 – 15 1/4 cm) deep into a piece of pine or fir. I’m told a “brad-point bit” makes a nice smooth hole. These houses are about a foot (1/3 metre) high and half that width. They’ve cut the top to a point adding two little pieces of molding to look like a peaked roof for decorative effect. They are hung under the eaves for rain protection. It is also important they catch the sun’s morning rays and there is a source for mud making nearby.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> Tip: About 80 per cent of the world’s crops require pollination from birds, bees, butterflies, beetles, mosquitoes and bats. June 24-30 this year is International Pollinator Week and the U. S. Postal Service is issuing a booklet of 20 commemorative stamps on June 24th titled Pollination (by artist Steve Buchanan) in honour of it.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"> Superstition: Bathe in warm water and honey to attract love.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="2"><A HREF="mailto:whalebonestudio@mac.com"> whalebonestudio@mac.com</A></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" LANG="0" SIZE="1">© Copyright 2007 Saanich News</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
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