Mason bees in my wood pile - Ask Extension
Hello! I have inherited an old wood pile at my new home and this summer I noticed it was alive with mason bees. The problem is the wood pile is too cl...
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Mason bees in my wood pile #814862
Asked October 21, 2022, 4:10 PM EDT
Hello! I have inherited an old wood pile at my new home and this summer I noticed it was alive with mason bees. The problem is the wood pile is too close to the house and is a fire hazard. Do you have any advice for saving the bees when I move the pile? I’m hoping to do that this season while they are dormant.
Thank you!
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Adrienne,
The best time to move the wood pile would be when the bees are dormant, which is winter time. The nests that are in hollowed out portions of the logs should survive a move just fine. If you find any loose nests, then read this OSU Extension publication, "Nurturing Mason Bees in Your Backyard in Western Oregon". It goes into great detail on how to care for mason bee cocoons. You may just have stumbled on to a new hobby of nurturing mason bees!
The best time to move the wood pile would be when the bees are dormant, which is winter time. The nests that are in hollowed out portions of the logs should survive a move just fine. If you find any loose nests, then read this OSU Extension publication, "Nurturing Mason Bees in Your Backyard in Western Oregon". It goes into great detail on how to care for mason bee cocoons. You may just have stumbled on to a new hobby of nurturing mason bees!
Thank you for the thorough answer. This is very helpful.
With appreciation,
Adrienne
Adrienne
You are very welcome for the information.
