Rickitikkitavi

This is a cross-posting that I put onto Home Orchard Society forum.

HOS Forums - View topic - Mason Bees!!! Mason Bees!!! Dreaming of Mason Bees!

and here are the contents. While most bananas do not need nor benefit from pollenation, some other plants you have benefit.

:-)

Mason Bees!!! Mason Bees!!! Dreaming of Mason Bees!

So -

speaking the obvious... these are big time sought after these days. wow

For those not aware - honey bees are having an awful time of it now and global climate change is real. Mason Bees are way cool, pollenate well, are native AND they don't sting. Nice overall package I would say! They are being sought after to pollenate food crops now instead of honey bees. Let us pray!

Anyhow... I thought I would share some of my misadventures on this for entertainment and information. :shock:

First you might click on this

Wanted - Mason Bees and Mason Bee House Making Supplies

I got a call from a Gentleman last nite that has lots of them. He was offering large batches of them starting at $50. I gently balked at this and probably should not have. His number was restricted so calling him back now is not an option. I did tell him about HOS and this website... so he may see this posting 8)

To my best recall - he said he had drilled holes into 4 x 4 pieces of wood and this was working very well. Also said that Al's was selling them for a 'fair price' for just a few pupae in a tube.

I happen to have an IDEAL place for them. There is a forested area that is left undisturbed and bee thingies can be back there big time. I have lots and lots of good cured lumber to make said houses, but am not sure of spec's such as diameter of holes to drill. I don't wanna do a 1/2 ass job but would like to do this inexpensively also.

My questions are many but here are some. I admit to not thoroughly investigating all this yet -

1. If I make these up w/o bees present, am I likely to attract the wrong bugs like wasps? Those suckers hurt!

2. Can I reliably be assured of getting some at next HOS event? (This request could be defacto unfairness perhaps)

3. I would rather make sure I get truly OREGON NATIVE ones instead of hybridized or acclimated ones. Same same with only native Oregon Tree Frogs (another subj).

4. If I make up a LOT of these dorm rooms - is there an effective way to stop them from filling it up totally and instead, filling another? Maybe a well vented wire cage or something... (this may relate to #6 below)

5. Are they all gonna be waiting for spring to emerge or will there be generations between now and then?

6. Drilled holes vs PVC pipe pieces... is it cuz of sanitation? I would think that a portable steamer would do the trick when needed.

7. Is there an HOS member with smaller quantity interested in trading for a few for some of my stuff? I will be posting quite a bit more soon btw.

I am keeping the ad up for a while to see if I get other responses. I remember seeing some nice postings for really nice looking and creative houses on craigslist last year. Making these up would be a good cottage industry of course. Unless the climate change reverses suddenly and nirvana comes real quick - there will be a real need for more Mason Bees!

;-)

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I am hardiness testing at least 15 Banana cultivars here in Beaverton Oregon and have lots of stuff to trade rickitikkitavi@gmail.com

sunfish

I beleive any timber would work fine. I have plenty around here,most live in telephone poles

alexizhere19

hey riki,

I see you want the bees now, don't know much about, did know a fellar who raised bees, honey i believe. told me got to be careful of what u attract while getting started. Also got me thinking, did you ever get a reply on your agri-start craigslist ad.

Alex

Banana DUI LOL

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woo woo woo in the county jail

just a good ole boy never meanin no harm

Rickitikkitavi

Everyone should want the bees my friend! lol I like the response from the San Diego person about them being in telephone poles. Encouraging. I, too, would be a San Diegan if not for a life changing event. My former partner and I helped close a major crack house accidently many years ago. We had 13 varieties of bananas at about 36th and Meade. This was one block north of El Cajon Blvd. We had STREETWALKERS with lots of cash buying our stuff. Their pagers would go off and we would hear 'SOMEBODY WANTS ME!!!' and they would skurry across the street to the payphone to do biz.

Nope. No response on the agristarts ad. Portland Oregon has one of the most active craigslist sites on this Earth. Kinda surprised that I didn't!

It's okay. Turns out that minimum of 1/3 of 72 is all that they do - with extra charge for this priviledge. No worries. All good things in good time. There may be a nursery license in my future... someday.

alexizhere19

I love bees and would like to have them, but i'm allergic so i just learn to live with them in the garden. Round' here local honey is a major thing, you see it everywhere. Is there not any way around the tax ID thing, I'd love to split a tray with ya. Open you up one them unique plant nurseries. Thats what I want to do.

BTW did you see the banana DUI thing. Not promoting the drinking and drivin' but it is a funny combo. i did it before and didn't notice it

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woo woo woo in the county jail

just a good ole boy never meanin no harm

Rickitikkitavi

hhhhmmmm

Like they say in New Mexico - 'I DON'T THINK NOOOTTTT!!!!'

That means I guess so but really don't think so. This is cuz it happens to be a 'double negative' which reverses the meaning taken literally.

How's that for a confusing reply!?

alexizhere19

Scratch head, I reckon you is right.

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woo woo woo in the county jail

just a good ole boy never meanin no harm

Rickitikkitavi

sorry!

Clarifying -

I don't think they will bend this rule. But getting a legal to use tax ID should be an easy trick.

I like the idea of having a specialized nursery. Read the book etc.

Splitting an order is doable - BUT - reshipping the remainder could prove traumatic for the little ones.

I like the DUI thing

alexizhere19

Well the unique nursery idea came from the fact that after so long of looking at the same old plants every trip to every nursery every year, you want to grow something that nobody has seen or provides a thrill for yourself when it grows and blooms. I heard there is a trick to getting one of those IDs but i don't know. I mean if you ever did want to do that you could harden them off a little then ship. sometimes 5-10-or 20 of the same plant is a little overkill. but hey with all them bees they need something to pollinate, LOL.

Alex

lockup

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woo woo woo in the county jail

just a good ole boy never meanin no harm

Rickitikkitavi

No matter what happens with the economy my friend - a unique plant nursery is gonna work. Trick is keeping costs down. With craigslist here in PDX - this is easy stuff. A storefront? Pure overhead! Pure overhead unless there is lots of foot traffic or customer base is not internets (sic) savvy.

In our area - there have been several nurseries going out of business for months now and on c.l. Some regular brick and mortar nurseries post on craigslist for extra traffic. Gotta love c.l. You can find your next job, your next love, your next home, your next cold hardy banana tree - all on it.

I find that the defacto offer of a 'Shangri La Tour' gets them over here and paying customers every time. You could do it too. duh! The three sets of Tibetan Prayer Flags are popular. C.l. ad got me to them btw.

alexizhere19

Well the major draw would be the exotic nature of the business, such as isaw at plant delights, although the conjuncture with Juniper level botanical. People come to see the "jungle type atmosphere" but then the first thing i hear is b/c someone killed something there hard to grow. My local garden center is a large one but when they try to introduce new stuff the first thing they here is " i heard its hard to grow b/c. people tend to think something spectacular is going to happen from a stella d oro daylily and some boxwoods. someone told me once told me 90% of the time something dies is you did something wrong, not the plant

alex

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woo woo woo in the county jail

just a good ole boy never meanin no harm

sunfish

I am glad I am four blocks north of adams

alexizhere19

whats adams

alex

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woo woo woo in the county jail

just a good ole boy never meanin no harm

sunfish

Adams Ave. That was meant for Rickitikkitavi . I am about sevsen blocks from where he used to live.

Rickitikkitavi

LOL

No duh!

That would put you in a somewhat 'safe' area. I sure hope Calif recovers along w/the rest of the nation in about 6 months. I have a lot of faith in our new President.

When the new home owning 'queers' in City Heights were successful in scaring out the crack freaks - they migrated big time into North Park, Abbie-Normal Heights, Swishcrest etc. It was not a pretty thing. Amazing what can be done with people marching around with flashlights and disposable cameras to document incidents of malfeasence! Since we did lots of antiques and collectibles hunting and paid attn to neighborhoods - we watched it and observed the changes more than most did.

We got a letter of thanks from a city councilperson or whatever from San Diego. They had been trying to close the place for YEARS. Our loaded down U-Haul was so so full of stuff that it went over the mountains to Albuquerque at 14 mph.

good times good times. kinda. I sure miss San Diego.

Rickitikkitavi

GETTING BACK ON THE ORIGINAL SUBJECT FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE...

This was a good response from HOS member - answering most of my questions w/just one link. btw - I really don't care if we get off subj. smiles everyone, smiles!!!! this is Fantasy Island!

My mason bees are done for this year. Maybe in different areas they 'die off' later. Check out this HOS link

Fifteen Reasons For Mason Bees: Let HOS Be Your Supply --Home Orchard Society