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  • From: derry and bill <wchase@interchange.ubc.ca>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] bentonite
  • Date: Sun, 06 Aug 2006 09:05:33 -0700

An interesting side note to Richard's post on clearing wine: a customer of mine who bought Blue Orchard Bees (BOBs) and nesting straws from me thought he would help his BOBs by putting his discarded bentonite (very fine clay)in a dish nearby .

Next year his BOBs did not emerge. Why? When he opened his straws he saw that the BOBs had developed normally and come out of their cocoons, but either they were unable to bash their way out of the bentonite doors or the bentonite sealed the cells so well that they died for lack of oxygen.

Normally the BOBs break through the cell doors and all the mud remains as a crumbled mass, but these doors were solid discs.

Next year, he'll let them use local mud.

Derry




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