Hello i,m wanting to raise Mason Bees and I live in Oakville .Where can I go get the Cocoons and Homes in person and not online close to me ?
Thanks
Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners with your inquiry. Ever since Colony Collapse Disorder was first identified approximately 3 years ago there has been an increase in the number of homeowners wanting to provide suitable habitats for native bees.
Mason Bees are amongst the easist to raise, while being amazing productive pollinators for spring flowers and fruits it is also an awesome cross-pollinator. The female carries pollen on the underside of her hairy abdomen, and then scrapes the pollen off within her nesting hole. Because the pollen is carried dry on her hair, it falls off easily as she moves among flowers. This results in significantly more pollinated flowers than from her cousin the Honey Bee, who wets the pollen and sticks it to her legs during transport to the hive. About Mason Bees provides more information on these industrious pollinators.
The Toronto Master Gardeners aim is to advise clients on all things horticultural — except pointing our clients in the direction of specific retailers.
The Ontario Beekeepers Association has an excellent website with quick links on where to buy bees and equipment. According to their website it is important to purchase your bees from a reptable supplier, one that knows the source of their genetic stock. On their website they also provide a link to reptable Bee Suppliers
Happy bee watching!