January 2022 – Mason Bees and Phragmites tubes for sale

Phragmites Reed Harvest and Mason Bee Tube Preparation

In January and February I harvest the native reed grass tubes from the seasonally flooded estuary on on my property. It is important to do this now before any new shoots start to emerge, as trampling could wipe out the reed bed. Trampling by livestock has probably been the cause of the elimination of the native Phragmites sp. from other estuaries on Vancouver Island.

Diving into the base of the reeds to cut out the one in 100 or so stems which will be large enough to provide mason bee tubes.

Stacking up the cut reeds from the swamp

Carrying the bundle to my house for cutting.

Cutting the Phragmites reeds near the nodes to produce the tubes for the mason bees.

Why use Phragmites Reed Grass Tubes for Mason Bee Homes?

I have several posts on this website about the Phragmites reed Grass tubes for Mason Bee homes. Access the posts here:
https://gfletcher.ca/category/mason-bees-and-phragmites_reed-grass-tubes/

On the website masonbeesforsale.com

I have found a list of the best reasons for using the native Reed Grass tubes Phragmites australis ssp. americanus for homes for Mason Bees. The pros and cons are listed:

Phragmites Reed Tubes:
pros: Phragmites Reeds are by far our top choice in nesting materials! They are the best option for several reasons,

1- Size/Shape-Reed tubes naturally vary in size, bees also vary in size and preferences so most bees will find a size they like to nest in. Each tube is cut between nodes so there is a natural back wall. Solitary bees prefer a fully enclosed space to nest in.

2-Protection-They are pest resistant. Mites and parasites aren’t able to burrow through the sides or the backs of the tubes because of the nodes in the stem.

3-Waterproof– Water will not soften or ruin the tubes. phragmites reeds will naturally wick away moisture. This also decreases the risk of mold, fungus and mildew affecting the bees.

4-Sustainable-Each reed is hand cut to the ideal length (approx. 6 inches= 15.6 cm) from natural sources. Cutting reeds is more environmentally friendly than the burning that often takes place to get rid of the reeds.

5-Easy Sorting– At the end of the season the reed tubes can easily be split in half. Bees can easily be sorted without damaging the cocoons.

cons:

1- Disposable-Reeds need to be replaced after each season, this requires purchasing new tubes. Luckily they are affordable.

2- Predators– Squirrels and Raccoons are sometimes able to get the tubes out of the bee house if not packed tightly enough. Placing some chicken wire over the front of the bee house and packing the reed tubes tightly in the house will prevent predators from getting your bees.

A Powerpoint Presentation on Mason bees

I have made a Powerpoint presentation that I did a few years ago into a scrolling feature here. Click to enlarge pages.

Cleaning the tubes, Nov.-Dec. 2021

CLEANING THE PHRAGMITES TUBES.

Any time from September on it is safe to open the Phragmites tubes to collect the mason bee cocoons inside. The earlier you do this the better as it prevents further development of pollen mites. Below are some photos from this years crop.

The ideal tube that you want to find will look like this

One side of the tube will show clear cocoons like this . note the neat arrangement with the plugs of mud where the pollen supply was deposited and the egg was laid, now holding the individual cocoons.

If opened from the other side they will appear like this. The small black cigar-shaped objects are frasse, or larval waste, indicating a healthy cocoon

Occasionally I come across large white larvae in the tubes. These are not parasites, they are pollinator wasp species. See this post for photos of the wasps

Beneficial wasp pollinators.. do not destroy!

When one of these tubes shows up I simply carefully replace the other half of the phragmites tube and tape it together. I incubate these in a separate container in the refrigerator

So this is what a successful bunch of tubes looks like. These tubes are about 18 cm in length.

PARASITES of MASON BEES

Pollen Mites

When a brownish orange material fills a cocoons space

These are cleptoparasite iparasitic mites. They steal the pollen of the bees.See the video below

With a hand lens or as above, a closeup view on a cellphone you can see this mass of mites on the move. When I come across a tube with these mites, I segregate all other cocoons from the tube, and give them a thorough wash and cleaning before storing them in the refrigerator. I am also careful not to sell any of the cocoons from that batch. Mason bee houses that are not cleaned will have a build up of mite infestation so bad that eventually very few bees will be produced.