Thyra Mckelvie joins PolliNation to discuss managing blue orchard bees (mason bees). Thyra is the Managing Director and Solitary Bee Educator at Rent Mason Bees. She outlines three essential care steps: start with clean, openable nesting material of proper size, remove nests at the end of spring to protect developing bees from summer predators, and harvest/clean cocoons in fall to control pests and disease. In addition, Thyra covers the key pests of mason bees include pollen mites, Houdini flies, chalkbrood fungus, and monodontomerus wasps, plus sterilization methods. Rent Mason Bees website: https://rentmasonbees.com Rent Mason Bees YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RentMasonBees Houdini Fly Hunt - report if you have Houdini Flies: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwkcEVe6CfNoaoTDcSlXmIpX0HYUTmhOsZJihPvn8rCXNn8A/viewform?pli=1 00:00 Welcome to Mason Bee Season 01:01 What Are Blue Orchard Bees 02:39 Gentle Bees for Schools 04:06 Bee Hotels Need Maintenance 05:42 Avoid Bamboo and Log Hotels 07:01 Three Steps to Protect Cocoons 11:49 Predators and Parasites Explained 12:05 Inside a Nesting Chamber 13:09 Pollen Mites and Houdini Fly 16:02 Chalkbrood and Monodontomerus Wasps 18:33 Cleaning and Sterilizing Trays 19:56 Sterilize Nesting Trays 20:20 Spot Houdini Fly Signs 20:41 Cardboard Liner Hack 21:22 Spring Cleanup Routine 21:56 Vacuuming and Tanglefoot 22:43 Join Houdini Fly Research 24:11 Bee Emergence Timeline 25:13 Remove and Store Blocks 26:16 Summer Storage Tips 27:55 Fall Harvest and Washing 29:54 Dispose Pests Safely 30:27 Releasing From Old Materials 32:48 Rent Mason Bees Explained 34:52 Wrap Up and Thanks