Specs

Quantity

• There are approximately 200 bees per pack!

Instructions

Dormancy

• Leafcutter bees need to be refrigerated to stay dormant!

Incubation

• Place the bag of unincubated leafcutter cocoons in a warm location (indoors or outdoors) out of direct sunlight to promote bee development. Summer leafcutter bees overwinter as larva and require warm temperatures to resume the development process. At a consistent temperature of 84°F (35°C); and humidity ranging between 40% and 90%, it should take approximately 23 days for bees to begin emerging. At a consistent temperature of 70°F (21°C), this time may extend to 4-6 weeks.

Placement

• When you first see a bee emerge within the bag, it is time to place the cocoons in your bee house. Standing in front of the bee house, open the bag and place the open bag on top of, or behind your nesting holes, with the open end of the bag facing out or up and shaded from direct sunlight. If your bee house has an attic area, the open bag of cocoons can be placed in the attic space. Do not subject the cocoons to direct sunlight. These bees require mid to high (70°F/21°C) daytime temperatures to fly, but perform best in 80°F (31°C) or higher temperatures. Open blossoms are also essential as they need pollen sources.
• During the incubation process, you may notice tiny black bugs with a long body inside the bag. These may be Pteromalus (pteromalid wasp) or Monodontomerus (parasitic wasp) - natural predators. They most likely hatched from larvae that were infused into the leafcutter larvae. A few of these pesky and destructive critters emerging from your leafcutter cocoons is considered normal. Simply 'squish' any pests that you notice.

Info

How do leafcutter bees help your garden?

• These gentle, solitary bees are the perfect pollinators for any plant, especially all your summer fruits and flowers!
• Unlikely to sting or bite, leafcutter bees diligently gather bits of leaves and petals to create a nursery for their little larvae, all the while accumulating pollen on the underside of their abdomen and pollinating your garden in the process!