North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[derry and bill <wchase@interchange.ubc.ca>]

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