Mason Bee Cocoon Harvesting

||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB |||

Hands-on Workshop

Saturday ~ October 5th

2:30 – 3:30 PM

Orcas Public Library

This special event is FREE for members.

Give our native mason bees a helping hand this fall and learn how to provide these important pollinators with healthy habitats to forage and nest.

Mason bees are perfect for backyard gardens as they’re gentle, easy to raise, and fun to watch. Mason bees over winter as pupae. It is at this stage in the bee’s life where you can help the most. Join us in the hands on experience of opening tubes, removing the cocoons, sorting and bathing the cocoons to prepare them for their winter sleep.

We’ll discuss the bee lifecycle, overwintering storage methods, humidity gauges, proper storage and risks to these wonderful creatures. Productive bee nests are a buffet of food resources for pests and parasites.

While opening the tubes, we may find other unwanted guests like hairy fingered mites and other parasites! We’ll have the opportunity to view them under the microscope to identify.

Join us in this very special workshop on Saturday, October 5th from 2:30 – 3:30 at the public library. PLEASE RSVP oigc376@gmail.com BY SEPTEMBER 28TH

Of the 20,000+ bee species globally, < 10% are social bees like honey & bumble bees. The other 90% are solitary bees which include Mason so do your part and Save the Bees ~ our mantra for our club parade float this year!