After our relatively unsuccessful experience with mason bees ("blue orchard bees"), we decided to do a quick experiment with leaf cutter bees. Leaf cutter bees seem more appropriate for the Arizona environment since they are conditioned for higher temperatures (>80 deg F) than blue orchard bees (>55 deg F). And there is a native population of leaf cutter bees in Arizona.
We ordered 300 leaf cutter cocoons from Crown Bees and consulted with Dave Hunter, Founder and CEO, of Crown Bees. Dave, as usual, gave us valuable and frank advice. The Crown Bee leaf cutter bees came with an instruction sheet:
Note carefully the second part of item 3. Phoenix temperatures are still above 90 deg F (at the end of August and including the first week of September). We have followed these instructions and are releasing the bees as they emerge at both Site1a1 and Site1a2f in Gilbert. Here's a video of our planning and release activities for Site1a2f.
Note that the habitat box contains a number of different diameter tubes. Leaf cutter bees prefer smaller tubes than do blue orchard bees. Here they have lots of choices.
We will continue to release and monitor the bees as they emerge.
In addition, we also ordered 400 leaf cutter bees for Site3 in Payson. These should arrive in the first week of September. By then, average Payson temperature should be below 90 deg F so we can place all the cocoons/bees at the habitat site immediately.
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