Tag: maintenance
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Invasive Shiny Geranium
In recent years, the small ground-covering invasive annual called “Shiny Geranium” (Geranium lucidum) has been spreading on Salt Spring Island. Patches of the weed are currently found on Quarry Drive Park, at…
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Keeping Mason Bees on the Cheap
Purchasing a ready-made mason bee house can be an expensive proposition, ranging from approximately $50-100 in price. However, with some basic carpentry tools (e.g. drill) you can make and maintain your own…
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Winter Storage of your Mason Bee Cocoons
After cleaning your mason bee cocoons, there are a couple options for storage over the winter months. A homemade container is possible, as are commercially produced ones. Storage Containers Store the cocoons…
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Steps for Harvesting Mason Bee Cocoons & House Cleaning
The process of harvesting mason bee cocoons and cleaning their houses should be done in October to mid-November. This vital process removes mud, frass (bee poop), and mites from the cocoons and…
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Common Parasites Found in Mason Bee Houses
Many of us reap the rewards of native mason bees pollinating our fruit trees in the spring. We provide houses to attract and keep these beautiful bees close to our gardens. In return,…