Thyra Mckelvie joins PolliNation to discuss managing blue orchard bees (mason bees). Thyra is the Managing Director and Solitary Bee Educator at Rent Mason Bees. She outlines three essential care steps: start with clean, openable nesting material of proper size, remove nests at the end of spring to protect developing bees from summer predators, and harvest/clean cocoons in fall to control pests and disease. In addition, Thyra covers the key pests of mason bees include pollen mites, Houdini flies, chalkbrood fungus, and monodontomerus wasps, plus sterilization methods.
Rent Mason Bees website: https://rentmasonbees.com
Rent Mason Bees YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RentMasonBees
Houdini Fly Hunt - report if you have Houdini Flies: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwkcEVe6CfNoaoTDcSlXmIpX0HYUTmhOsZJihPvn8rCXNn8A/viewform?pli=1
00:00 Welcome to Mason Bee Season
01:01 What Are Blue Orchard Bees
02:39 Gentle Bees for Schools
04:06 Bee Hotels Need Maintenance
05:42 Avoid Bamboo and Log Hotels
07:01 Three Steps to Protect Cocoons
11:49 Predators and Parasites Explained
12:05 Inside a Nesting Chamber
13:09 Pollen Mites and Houdini Fly
16:02 Chalkbrood and Monodontomerus Wasps
18:33 Cleaning and Sterilizing Trays
19:56 Sterilize Nesting Trays
20:20 Spot Houdini Fly Signs
20:41 Cardboard Liner Hack
21:22 Spring Cleanup Routine
21:56 Vacuuming and Tanglefoot
22:43 Join Houdini Fly Research
24:11 Bee Emergence Timeline
25:13 Remove and Store Blocks
26:16 Summer Storage Tips
27:55 Fall Harvest and Washing
29:54 Dispose Pests Safely
30:27 Releasing From Old Materials
32:48 Rent Mason Bees Explained
34:52 Wrap Up and Thanks
