MASON BEE FALL HARVEST - For One Week in October Millions of Mason Bee Cocoons are Harvested and Cleaned so Healthy Bees are Returned to the Environment

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Sep 27, 2022, 09:00 ET

BOTHELL, Wash., Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bothell based company, Rent Mason Bees, and gardeners across the country are helping to protect and care for pollinators. For one week in October, Rent Mason Bees transforms their shop into a bustling harvesting center where millions of mason bee cocoons are cleaned and their nesting blocks are washed and sterilized. This helps remove predators like pollen mites, chalkbrood and Houdini fly larva which can harm these fragile pollinators when they emerge the following year. By taking proactive steps to protect these essential creatures, Rent Mason Bees is helping create a healthy environment for mason bees that are critical for pollinating gardens, crops and help maintain a healthy ecosystem.

Watch How We Clean Millions of Bees - Harvesting and cleaning the cocoons and blocks is a critical step when hosting your own solitary bees. We realize that some people want the entire year experience of caring and cleaning mason bees, but for those who want to support bees and get their yards pollinated but not worry about cleaning all the mites and predators off cocoons, sterilizing the nesting blocks and storing safely over winter, they rent from us and we take care of the maintenance for you

"Many people don't realize the importance of cleaning cocoons and nesting blocks," explains Thyra McKelvie, who runs the Pollination Program for Rent Mason Bees. "If they're left uncleaned, you'll provide a breeding ground for harmful predators. That's why we diligently clean every cocoon to ensure healthy bees are released the following spring."

Mason bees are ONE OF MOTHER NATURE'S BEST POLLINATORS. They visit over 2,000 blossoms a day and belly flop onto flowers collecting pollen all over their bodies. This enables them to pollinate 95% of the flowers they land on, whereas honeybees meticulously collect pollen on their back legs and pollinate 5% of the flowers.

They DO NOT STING and are non-aggressive because they don't have a hive or queen to protect. They are solitary bees, which means every female lays her own eggs, gathers her own food and finds her own nesting chamber. Like a butterfly, their larvae spin a silk cocoon to hibernate over winter. Once they've formed their waterproof and durable cocoon, gardeners mail back their nesting blocks and the team at Rent Mason Bees extracts all the cocoons and cleans every single "baby" bee.

Rent Mason Bees is the only company in the country who has a solitary bee program where you help your bee population by releasing solitary bees and renting nesting blocks. They do all the maintenance and cleaning of cocoons and blocks in the fall to rid predators. The following spring, healthy bees are released again to pollinate gardens, crops and habitats around the country. This process helps to ensure that the ecosystem grows stronger and that bee populations remain healthy and sustainable.

The mason bee fall harvest only happens once a year and this year is October 5^th – 14^th. If you are interested in visiting, please contact us for an appointment. [email protected]

VIDEO LINKS:

Fall Harvest Video https://youtu.be/wzDWeADhOno
Sneak Peak Inside Nesting Block "What Are your Baby Bees Doing" - https://youtu.be/Qko1wwd1FTU

About Rent Mason Bees

Rent Mason Bees supports three species of bees across the U.S.: blue orchard & hornfaced mason bees and leafcutter bees. Their bee rental program offers a way to be involved in your food sources and promote healthier urban and rural ecosystems with a minimal commitment. Their mission is to help the future of food production and promote the health of solitary bees that are critical pollinators to food and ecosystems. To learn more visit www.rentmasonbees.com

SOURCE Rent Mason Bees