Grey, the honey looks great. What exactly is the large can honey is draining from? How does that work?
Looks like a good retirement hobby, I might look at that some day.
Mason bees are solitary bees. They are good pollinators. No hive. No honey. They like to nest in small hollow tubes which you can provide for them. The females lay each egg in the tube with a store of nectar that is sealed up with mud. Beyond providing them tubes to nest in, not much effort is required to encourage them.
He says no. He is going to add some holes to the top and hope for the best. I say they are toast come spring. Unless we get that mild winter they are calling for.:rolleyes:Will he move them because of the snow depth ?? Cool getting honey from your own clover plot !!!
This is his first year with them so he is learning as he goes. He has had sugar water out for them for awhile. He only took 15 out of about 100 pounds of honey. Figure they have to go almost 8 months with no pollen and 6 of those months we will be covered in snow. It will be interesting to see if they make it. I can't wait to see if it makes a difference in Apple production. He got them after the bloom this year.Chummer
Does he do supplemental fall feeding with sugar water ? They'll eat sugar over their honey so it gives them a better supply of food than nothing at all. If he does it now they have a better chance of survival.
Does he insulate the hives or put black painted boards outside the hive to absorb heat? Lots of people do that here in NH
We have had bears around. He put a solar electric fence around it. Doesn't look like much but obviously worked."They keep the hive at 90 degrees all winter. Snow should definitely help insulate it. "
They also keep it that temperature in the summer when it's hotter than that. They'll hover outside and fan their wings to cool it off. Amazing workers.
I've got to make a decision on whether we will start a hive. They are more work than I originally thought and the bear factor is a major issue.
I'm considering setting up houses/hives for the Mason bees but, I find there's some maintenance with them too.
"They keep the hive at 90 degrees all winter. Snow should definitely help insulate it. "
They also keep it that temperature in the summer when it's hotter than that. They'll hover outside and fan their wings to cool it off. Amazing workers.
I've got to make a decision on whether we will start a hive. They are more work than I originally thought and the bear factor is a major issue.
I'm considering setting up houses/hives for the Mason bees but, I find there's some maintenance with them too.