Our class raises Mason Bees to help with early Spring pollination. In the Fall, we open our Mason Bee "paper straws" to remove and clean the cocoons. They are put in a fridge for the winter, in a special "humidity container". In the Spring we put the cocoons into our Mason Bee house. This year we were given a beautiful new house by our local "Bee Man", Pasquale. The house is hung on a South facing wall in our inner courtyard, named "The Sanctuary". There is a pond and a small garden there. The bees can also fly out to the front of the school, where there are many blossoming cherry trees as well as other plants. We learn about the Mason Bee life cycle and anatomy. All of our "paper straws" were filled this year! We put in them in a special net bag so that other insects or birds cannot harm them. In the Fall, it all starts again!
