This is the second year I've tried with masons and I'm still having trouble.

The first of the fruit trees are just beginning to show some white, so I went to the fridge to put out the bees. When I removed the tape, I discovered that four of the six tubes had a dead, adult bee in the end. (Two of the tubes still had mud plugs)

The fridge is quite cold (35 degrees on the shelf I kept them). If I would have put them out earlier, they would certainly have starved--*nothing* blooming for miles.

If I would have kept the fridge colder, *my* food would have frozen.

So, any idea how I time this thing better?

Also, do you think perhaps there are still some live, unemerged bees deeper in the tubes (they're six inch tubes)?

I know there are some native mason bee populations in this part of New Mexico, so it's not like I'm trying to raise them in Nome.

Temps are now in the high 50's, although still below freezing at night. They've been outside for about two days, with no signs of life.

I'd love some guidance.

Thanks,

Don