Information Sheet

Answers toCommon QuestionsChildren are not at ‘extra’ risk of

bee stings due to the presence of condos.

Participants monitor the condos through observation,

and not “beekeeping”, as honey makers do. There

should be no direct interaction with the condos or

bees. Condos are cleaned at the end of the season

when bee activity has died down.

Condo clean-up is required once each year.

Approximately late September or early October,

once bee activity has stopped, participants remove

the trays, and rinse/wash cocoons, then store them

over the winter. Condos are taken down and

repaired if necessary.

All cocoons can be stored in a paper lunch

bag in the fridge or shed/garage over the

winter months. The actual space required is one

inch by one inch. The cocoons are quite small, and

all the cocoons in an active condo will fit in the

palm of your hand.

There is a possibility for additional educational

opportunities with the bee condos, and

involving stewards in the area. Bee condos may

possibly lead to other park enhancements – we will

look at surrounding planting beds and installing

more pollinator friendly plants, educational signs etc.

burnaby.ca

The City of Burnaby Mason Bee Condo Program is an informal Parks program which provides an opportunity for community members to improve City green spaces and increase wildlife habitat, specifically for the Blue Orchard Mason Bee.

PollinatorsPollinators are the insects that pollinate flowers. Thesecreatures, in their daily activity, spread pollen from flower to flower, and play a vital role in fertilizing fruits and vegetables. Commonly known pollinators are bees and butterflies, and include different species of wasps, flies and beetles.

The Plight of the PollinatorThese beneficial insects are under pressure from habitat loss, food source loss, disease and pesticides. As insect populations are threatened, so are the fruits and vegetables and the wild ecosystems that depend on these pollinators.

Mason Bee CondosThe City of Burnaby Mason Bee Condo program provides habitat for the Blue Orchard Mason Bee. The condo essentially plays the role of a bee house to bees. These are not bee hives which specifically house honey bees that produce honey. The condos provide the Blue Orchard Mason Bee a place to live and lay its eggs, so they can more successfully live, grow and multiply.

The ProgramParks will install a bee condo and provide an introductory workshop in the first year. The workshop will lead participants through everything one needs to know about the Blue Orchard Mason Bee and maintaining a condo for these bees – cleaning and storing the condos/cocoons. The workshop is 45-60minutes long.

Please note that the bee condos are similar to bird boxes – a wooden, rectangular box with spaces for bees to lay cocoons.They will be attached to poles, about six to eight feet high,located in the nearby park. Throughout the season, we askthat you help monitor the condos for repairs/replacement.

Teachers and students are encouraged to conduct educational activities around the condos, and use the condos as a learning tool. For example, by weekly or monthly visits to the condos, students can count/monitor the number of cocoons laidsince the last visit and graph the progress. They can alsocompare bee activity in the area over the years.

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For more information or questions about the program,please contact the Environmental Technician:parks@burnaby.ca or call 604-294-7450.

For more informationpollinationcanada.caGreat information about pollinators in Canada,one of which are bees.

beediverse.comBasic information and the first page shows thecondo ‘highrise’ we will install.

City of BurnabyMason Bee CondoProgram

Native Pollinators

Information Sheet

Native Plants for Pollinators

For more information or questions aboutthe mason bee condo program, pleasecontact the Environmental Technician:e-mail parks@burnaby.ca or call 604-294-7450

Pollinators are insects and other animals that pollinate flowers. In their daily activity, these creatures spread pollen from flower to flower and play a vital role in fertilization of fruits and vegetables. Commonly known insect pollinators are bees and butterflies but this group also includes different species of wasps, flies and beetles. These beneficial insects are under pressure from habitat loss, reduced food sources, disease, and pesticides. As insect populations are threatened, so are the fruit and vegetable produce and the wild ecosystems that depend on these pollinators. Almost 90% of flowering plants need pollinators to reproduce.

Reconsider your Gardening TechniquesMany current day home and gardening techniques contribute to the decline of pollinators by not providing food or habitat for the pollinators, or by directly killing them. For instance many native bees are ground nesting bees that look for exposed soils and feed on flowering plants. Having a yardwith non-flowering hedge plants, and a perfect lawn thatis aerated and fertilized means that your yard does notsupport native bees or other pollinators. Here are a fewideas to bring pollinators to your yard or garden.

Plant a Pollinator GardenPollinating species need a diversity of nectar and pollen sources. For the best results, plant in clumps rather thansingle plants, provide a variety of flower colors and shapes, and choose native plants that flower throughout the season.

Avoid pesticide useAdding plants that draw natural pest-eaters and companion planting—including plants that naturally repel pests, such as garlic for aphids and basil for tomatoes—are good strategies to reduce chemical needs. Maintaining healthy soil to keep plants’ immune systems strong can also help.

Provide Nesting SitesMany native bees nest in the ground, in decaying wood orin dry plant stems. Maintain a small, undisturbed patch of well-drained bare or sparsely vegetated ground to provide nesting habitat for ground-nesting bees. Consider leaving a dead tree or limb undisturbed to provide natural nesting habitat. Install a bee condo, which are available at e garden stores or you can join Burnaby’s volunteer mason bee condo program! See reverse page for details.

Nootka roseRed flowering currant

Vine trumpet flower

Oregon grape

ColumbineChives

LupineCalifornia lilac

LavenderVerbenaPurple cone flower

Black eyed susan

The Pollinators’ Role What can I do to help?

For more information

burnaby.ca

pollinationcanada.caGreat information about pollinators in Canada.

Help the bee find the flower!

Blue Orchard Mason Bees are a native species found in woodlands and forests in the region. These beneficial insects provide an essential service by pollinating our food plants as well as promoting native biodiversity.

Adopt a mason bee condo in a park near your home.We are looking for volunteers to care for and monitor the mason bee condos which are installed in neighborhood parks throughout Burnaby. We’ll install the condo and teach you what you need to do each season. Your job is to monitor the box throughout the spring and summer and then clean the condo and store the cocoons for winter.If you would like to volunteer to monitor and maintain a bee condo in Burnaby, contact parks@burnaby.ca

Activity

Mason Bee Condo Project - Adopt One!

For more information or questions about the program,please contact the Environmental Technician:e-mail parks@burnaby.ca or call 604-294-7450.

burnaby.ca