John I have been looking at this post for eight days. I know my elevator does not allways go to the top. Would you please tell me, in simple terms what the heck you are talking about.
Confused Norm

Hello Norm I use mason/orchard bees for pollinating my apple trees. In the spring they collect pollen and honey and deposit it along with an egg in a cardboard tube. They do this until the tube is filled, about 6 to 9 eggs. I now have the tubes in my garage while the eggs turn into larva and then next years bees. The problem is wasps try to steal the larva for there own eggs to feed on. I donÂt remember how long it takes for the new bees to fully develop so I can put them in the fridge until nest years apple blossoms start to emerge. John

OK that makes sense to me now. Why can't you just put a screen over the tubes, to keep the wasps out until spring time?
Norm

Hi Norm, I also want to control when they hatch. John

Norm I'm glad you asked because I was wondering what he was talking about also. lol There's a bunch of sites online that discuss raising them for garden use. This one might have the info you're looking for. That's an interesting little bee.
Karyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Some info about raising the bees

Howdy,
I was a little surprised to see this post on the propagation topic but I do love my Mason bees. I don't move mine a all. I've been doing the mason bee thing for three years now and my bee population has really been thriving! I've heard of people bringing them in around October, but out here in Washington state I just let them bee! LOL

In the first part of the season I get mason bees filling my holes and then later in the season I get a lot of leaf cutter bees. I have seen a few with mites, but as a whole, they have been doing real good. I use 2 X 8 scrap wood, drill the holes, and just put out new ones every spring and they seem to like the new ones and when the old ones are through, I just burn them in my wood stove.

I also use the cardboard tube with paper linner method and it works good too. Make sure you order new supply of straw linners early because if you wait too long they may be hard to find. They get sold out.
Good luck,
Lanternboy