North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[rob hamilton <lostman_amiga@yahoo.com>]

I would agree with this conclusion as well.

As an experiment, I took some scrap deck post material
and drilled a series of holes in rows from 1/8 to
5/16th bit size. I actually did this to see if there
were any other solitary bees around than the mason
bees that I had purchased. I put these posts out by my
bed room window after the mason bees had finished.  I
was surprised by the array of bees, wasps (mostly
wasps), parasitic wasps that used the various hole
sizes; and how quickly the holes were filling up. Some
these smaller holes are covered with a sap (like pine
resin).

Actually, the insect that gathered this sap is very
small and seems more like bee than a wasp.  I think
next year I will start taking notes on some of these
insects. 

I do believe some of these wasps helped me in the
pollination of my jujube trees, which for some reason
the bees for the most part seem to ignore


This really is fascinating project and easy to do. A
great science project for the kids. I may try to write
an article after the season is over on how I made
these little houses and what I found out.

Robert

--- derry and bill <wchase@interchange.ubc.ca> wrote:

> Jim,
> 
> My guess is that the insects using the 3/16"
> drinking straws are not BOBs.
> 
> Even if you use 1/4" straws, you'll get about 94%
> male BOBs. It is the females
> that pollinate apple blossoms.
> 
> The female BOBs in your area are probably nesting
> elsewhere.
> 
> We surmise that the BOB cannot get the mud to
> 'stick' to the plastic straws so she
> goes elsewhere to nest.
> 
> There are quite a few solitary wasps in this area
> that will use 1/4" and 3/16"
> holes. They could be using a sap-like substance to
> make the doors.
> 
> Derry
> 
> ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
> ~ ~ ~ ~
> Derry Walsh & Bill Chase
> wchase@interchange.ubc.ca
> Aldergrove,  B. C.,  Canada
> phone/fax (604) 856-9316
> ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
> ~ ~ ~ ~
> Home web pages: http://derrysorchardandnursery.ca
> ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
> ~ ~ ~ ~
> 
> 
> :    For my wild population of Mason Bees, I keep
> 1/4" cardboard tubes, 5/16"
> : plastic tubing and 3/16" drinking straws handy for
> them.  They use the
> : drinking straws most often.
> :    This year something strange has happened:  I
> have always saw mud having
> : been used to seal the entrance but this year some
> of the 1/4" tubes are
> : sealed with a mucilaginous substance.  Does anyone
> know what this substance
> : might be or what insect may have did it?
> : Thanks,
> : -- 
> : Jim Fruth
> : Brambleberry Farm
> : Pequot Lakes, MN
> : www.bberryfarm.com
> 
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--------------------------------------------
Zone 7a/b  Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Fruits Club                                        
www.groups.yahoo.com/atlanta_fruits
North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX)                           www.NAFEX.org
Southern Fruit Fellowship (SFF)                                          
www.NAFEX.org/SFF
Southeastern Palm and Exotic Plant Society (SPEPS)   www.SPEPS.net


                
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