OMB Starter Kit....................................................................$49.00*
Orchard Mason Bee Materials & Price List Effective October 2008
Green Apiaries
Harold Green, Owner
1009 Kinsey DR SE
Huntsville, AL 35803
Tel 1-256-881-8531 Fax 1-256-650-5689 e mail: halgre@knology.net
Click here for photos of our OMB Products.
Item ......................................Description ..............................................................Price
#OCBS.......... Orchard Mason Bee Nesting Box, Small, 60 Tubes ea........................ $20.00/Box
#OBCS-6....... Orchard Mason Bee Nesting Box, Small, 60 Tubes ea, Case of 6 ........$108.00/CS
#OBCS-12..... Orchard Mason Bee Nesting Box, Small, 60 Tubes ea, Case of 12....... $210.00/CS
#OCBL ..........Orchard Mason Bee Nesting Box, Large, 104 Tubes ea....................... $35.00/Box
#OCBL-6....... Orchard Mason Bee Nesting Box, Large, 104 Tubes, Case of 6 ...........$195.00/CS
#OCBL-T.......OMB Intermediate Kit, Large Box with 15 OMB Tubes........................$77.00ea %
#OBTS-100.....Extra Tubes, package of 100 ea...........................................................$20.00/pack
#XPL-20-1..... Extra Paper Liner Tubes, Pack of 20 Liners .....................................$3.15/Pack**
#XPL-20-25... Extra Paper Liner Tubes, Case of 25 Packs of 20 Liners each........... $68.25/CS***
#OCBB-1....... 34 Page Book, Color," The Mason Bees" ........................................$7.60ea
#OMBT-X...... Sealed Orchard Mason Bee Tube, approx. 7 females and 2 males....See X below
#OMBSTG.....Lignaria Nesting Box Station.........................Please e mail, fax or call for quote.* OMB Starter Kit consists of a small (60 tube) nesting box with 8 tubes of OMBs and 52 new empty tubes. See here for Instructions.
% OMB Intermediate Kit consists of a large (104 tube) nesting box with 15 tubes of OMBs and 89 new empty tubes.
** Going out of stock. Get them while you can.
*** No longer in stock.
All products are shipped from Huntsville, AL and prices shown do not include shipping costs which generally run about 5 to 19 percent of the total order.X=1-10, $4.00 ea,
X=11-100, $3.00 ea.
X=101-500, $2.00 ea.
X=over 500, $1.00 ea.
Usage: Recommend 8 OMB tubes per 60 tube nesting box, 15 OMB tubes per 104 tube nesting box. This amount allows for adequate propagation for next year's population. Normal propagation is between 5 to 10 new tubes filled for each filled tube set out in March. Nesting boxes can be pre-filled at the quoted prices before being shipped.
Sealed Bee Tubes are shipped after September and before March, depending on destination.Note: Recommended number of Nesting Boxes per tube of OMBs is at least 6 or 7 empty tubes for each tube of OMBs. Since the smallest Nesting Box contains 60 tubes, you can use up to 8 OMB tubes with each 60 tube Nesting Box. If you don't have a shed or other shelter to protect the nesting boxes close to the pollination target(s), it is recommended you either buy or make a Nesting Box Station for the Nesting Boxes.
Here is what can happen if the OMBs run out of suitable nesting tubes in their nesting box.
This group of tubes was removed from a nesting box that did not have any empty tubes left. The OMBs used the small space between the tubes and the side on the nesting box as a place to put their eggs and food. The cocoons have been formed and it appears 12 compartments were made in this space. A couple of cocoons dropped out when the array was removed from the nesting box but it appears about 5 or 6 good specimens remain for next year. From this example one can conclude that in a full tube, there would be about 13 or 14 cocoons if all the eggs hatched and all the larvae from them made cocoons. It is also obvious that several of the cocoons did not make it to the final stage.
So it is important to make sure you have enough good, new tubes for the current year OMBs to properly propagate. And it appears best to remove the cocoons in late December or early January and place them outside in early March in a box with a small opening so when they emerge from the cocoons they can leave their nest unimpeded when ready to leave. Alternatively, you can place the filled tubes in a small box that has a small opening and place the box outside close to the new nesting boxes in early March. The OMBs will emerge and leave through the small opening and use the new nesting box tubes for their new home site. Later you can remove the small box and either clean up the old empty tubes for future use or simply or discard them.
One can remove the cocoons by carefully cutting the mud from the front to expose the edge of the paper liner. Then remove the black plastic plug at the rear of the tube. Then use a tweezers or small needle-nose pliers the grasp edge of the paper liner and gently pull the liner out of the tube. Once the liner is out, carefully unwrap the paper from one end and the cocoons will be exposed as the paper is unwrapped. After the cocoons are out of the tubes, the paper liner can be replace with a new one. Be sure to replace the black plastic plug as this will lock the paper liner in place so it won't slide out of the tube.The new tubes now available are made in Oregon and don't have paper liners. So you can't remove the cocoons by pulling out the liner. The paper liners that are still in stock will fit the new tubes though and can be readily used if so desired.