Gene and I packed up his SUV to make an epic road trip to distribute 4,200 bees at the Cornville, AZ Site2 and the Flowing Springs/Payson Site3.
Cornville is located about 120 miles north of Phoenix. Site2 is located on a BIG bend of Oak Creek.
Oak Creek is best known for Slide Rock State Park north of Sedona. Just a few weeks ago it was running at over 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs); that's lots of water by Arizona standards. By the 27th it was below 100 cfs.
The two properties are both about 5 acres each and are north/south with Site2a having Oak Creek to the north:
...and Site2b having Oak Creek to the south.
We staged the habitats for both sites at the beginning of the work.
Based on all our advice, including this conversation with Dr Steve Peterson, we will put the six large habitats (8 x 12) in the large green box with the release tube(s) and arrange the blue smaller habitats (8 x 6) on the periphery of the property.
Here is the eventual site map with the master box in the middle of the trees and the smaller habitats arranged around the periphery.
Later we realized we should label the individual habitats ("blue box", "large habitat") and did so for the Site3 maps. When we return for our first inspection we will label the individual habitats and mark their location on this map. This will allow us to determine which locations were most effective in attracting the bees.
Here's a few photos as we worked.
Next, we will set up the Site2b location.