Shaw Islanders Inc.
A Community Organization
MASON BEE WORKSHOP – ALL AGES WELCOME!
Please join us at the Shaw Community Building on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10:00 a.m. for a Mason Bee Workshop led by Master Gardener Tony Suruda from Orcas. This workshop has been presented at the Grange on SJI and at schools on Orcas, and we are excited to bring it to Shaw.
The mason bee Osmia lignaria, also called the blue orchard bee, is an important native pollinator in our cool coastal climate. These bees are active in the Spring when females fill nesting cavities with pollen, nectar, and eggs. The larvae mature and spin cocoons to prepare for winter. In this hands-on workshop SJC WSU master gardeners will guide participants in opening nesting tubes, removing cocoons, checking for parasites, and preparing the cocoons for winter storage in a humidity controlled environment.
No prior experience necessary. But if you do happen to have experience and would like to bring your own nesting materials for harvesting cocoons, feel free to do so.
For more information see https://www.fs.usda.gov/.../pollinator.../mason_bees.shtml
