Bees & Sustainability
Bees Common Assumptions
Assumption All Bees Sting Social 20,000+ bee species in the world 90% are solitary bees, 10% are social Only 7 species are honey bees Social bees need to defend queen, food, & eggs Solitary bees can t defend and do all work Solitary can sting, but only if life-threatened Solitary
Assumption All Bees Have Honey Out of all US and Canada, NO native bees make honey Why do honey bees make honey? It s food to overwinter the queen and hundreds of workers Native species gather & store pollen mixed with nectar for young
Assumption Honey Bees Are Great Pollinators Honey bee history Egyptians gathered honey from them Pilgrims introduced the white man s fly in 1600 s Managed hives stayed on farms throughout the US through 1940 s
Honey Bees Shift to Pollinator Industrialized farming began in 1940 s As farms combined, monoculture was introduced Soil became unhealthy & chemicals pushed out native bees Large acreage now needed artificial pollination The only managed bee was the honeymaking bee which became the de facto pollinator 4,000 native bees were ignored
Mason Bees, A Super Pollinator Well studied by worldwide researchers Mason bees gather pollen differently Work in colder and windier environments Nest in holes that can be relocated Produce more fruit in many tree varieties
From our Customers This is what our plum tree looks like after two pickings. Pretty good harvest for this fall Our Asian pear trees have been thinned twice and still have too many pears. ~ Gary and Billie Bevers
From our Orchardists After placing mason bees on his cherry farm in Omak, WA, Mr. Freese gained an additional yield of more than 6 tons of cherries per acre. He netted over $100,000 from these bees
From our Farmers "We have never seen anything like it before! We are only estimating, but feel that leafcutter bees at least tripled our pollination rate for 2016". Leigh Funderburk of Stoneycreek Farms, TN
What s a Mason Bee? Solitary bee that nests in existing holes Emerge in spring from cocoons Mate, find their own nesting hole Begin gathering pollen & nectar, lay eggs Fly as adults for about 6 weeks Eggs are next year s bees Overwinter as adult bees in cocoons
What s a Leafcutter Bee? Solitary bee that nests in existing holes Emerge in summer from leafy cocoons Mate, find their own nesting hole Gather pollen & nectar, lay eggs Fly as adults for about 6 weeks Eggs are next year s bees Overwinter as pupa
Solitary Bee Houses Shelter for nesting material Wind, rain & hot sun Place on a SE facing wall 5-7 high for easy viewing Mount on non-moving surface
Nesting Material Each female fills about two nesting holes in her lifetime. Small bees like small nesting holes (4mm-6mm) Large bees like large nesting holes (6mm-8mm) Consider providing a variety of sizes for all bees Reeds EasyTear Tubes Inserts & Tubes Wood trays Stay Away! Wood blocks Plastic straws Bamboo
Mason Bee Harvesting Harvesting removes pests Easy to do (sign up for BeeMail!) Pests build up over time Know your bee needs for next season Pest: Chalkbrood Pest: Pollen Mites
Mason Bee Winter Storage Keep some cocoons, share some BeeBuyBack program Exchange excess cocoons for products or $$ Storing cocoons Overwinter in the refrigerator Bees are healthier in stable, cold temps Frost-free refrigerators dehydrate bees Use a Humidibee for hydration
Mason Bee Springtime Release You re in charge of when to release them. Wait for open blossoms! Place cocoons behind or on top of nesting material A small cup or box protects cocoons from wind Extend pollination release cocoons in waves 1/3 when first blossoms open 1/3 two weeks later 1/3 after two more weeks Release all mason bees by May 1st
Keys to Success Correct nesting holes matter Correct mud & leaves matter Avoid toxins that kill or smell Crownbees.com is full of information Monthly BeeMail sends great tips
Why Crown Bees Cares 69%
Why Crown Bees Cares Recent study from Minneapolis Entomology convention Right bee on right crop can produce 2.4x more yield Need more pollinating bees to add more food BeeBuyBack program Buy back mason cocoons in fall Sell online, nurseries, orchards Teaching sustainable practices Less lawn Live soil Grow food Less toxic chemicals More natives/naturalized plants Raise bees
Your Role You are the front line of sustainability Educate your friends & neighbors about balanced yards No pests, no predators. Yards are NOT to be as clean as a kitchen counter Expansive lawns require high water, chemicals, time (clover is OK!) Plant heirloom/native flowers in clumps for bees
How Crown Bees Supports You We teach with our monthly BeeMail Sign up at www.crownbees.com/beemail New website with in-depth information www.crownbees.com How-to videos for you You re the customer, we care about your success
Recap Honey bees are awesome honey-making bees Solitary bees are better pollinators and are gentle Be wary of bamboo/drilled blocks of wood Sign up for BeeMail (www.crownbees.com/beemail) Understand the Crown Bees mission with our food supply Spread the word about sustainability