North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["William C. Garthright" <billg@inebraska.com>]

> Scientists already know that female blue orchard bees (Osmia lignaria) 
> and certain other wild bees prefer to nest in cavities that other 
> females of their species once occupied. That's problematical because 
> old nests may be contaminated with disease-causing spores.


Huh! I wondered why my bees re-used the old, cruddy holes they'd just 
crawled out of last spring, instead of the nice, new ones I'd provided 
for them. Well, they did that a couple of times, anyway.

Very interesting. Thanks for posting that, Lon.

Bill
Lincoln, NE

--
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary 
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin