Orchard pollination

Orchard Bees naturally emerge just prior to cherry bloom.  So if you intend to have them pollinating cherry, peach, plum, pear, apricots, etc. it is best to set them out in the early spring after cold weather and any insecticides sprays have passed.  Their population will normally double every year when you set them out for natural emergence.  If the fruit trees are not in bloom these bees will work other area blooms - however they will seldom be found anywhere but on the trees when they are blooming.
  To raise them for Apple orchards only, see Apple Orchard Management. 
  Once the bees are done nesting (in 6-8 weeks after emergence) you simply pick up the nests and place them in an unheated shed (preferably insulated) or

garage and set a light trap for the monodontomerus wasps until late fall.  These small little parasitic wasps attack pre-pupae bees in unplugged tubes or through the walls of wood blocks and tubes that have too thin or soft of a wall.  The other reason for picking up the bees after they are done nesting is to prevent other bees and wasps from using up all the nesting holes you have provided for the bees.  These other wasps and bees will have begun nesting in the tubes and will also be trapped out using the light trap - leaving the holes available for your bees the next year. 
  The bees will develop into adults over the summer and then go dormant until winter.  Orchard Bees require at least 30 days below 40° F. to break dormancy in the spring.  They hibernate through the winter and can then be set out again the next spring.
Orchard bees will re-nest in the same existing holes until the old nest materials have built up too much.  That is why it is recommended that you replace your nesting materials once ever 3-4 years, trapping the bees out.  This will also help control the populations of scavengers that feed on old nests and leftover pollen as the abandoned holes start to appear.


  What could be simpler?