top of page
Mason Bees: Cocoon Harvesting Classes
You saw mason bees filling holes last spring. Now you get to see what happened inside those holes. Come to this interactive class to learn how to support the solitary, super pollinating Mason bee throughout its lifecycle. Fall Mason bee cocoon harvesting is an important time to mitigate pests and to help bees preserve higher levels of energy for spring emergence. Bring your own tubes and blocks if you have them. If you don’t, this is a hands-on class so we will have tubes and blocks you can practice with.
2026 Class Options
What you will learn:
-
the lifecycle of the amazing Mason Bee and your role in this cycle
-
when and how to store cocoons from June to October
-
how to harvest (hands-on harvesting) and clean cocoons to rid them of disease and pests
-
how to store cocoons after cleaning from now until it’s time for spring release
-
when and how to set cocoons out in the spring so the bees can emerge and get busy pollinating!
Bee Notes
Subscribe to our Bee Notes Newsletter to receive Mason Bee updates as well as information about other important pollinators.
Pollinator Info
Visit our pollinator page for more information about Mason Bees, lifecycle calendars, other pollinators, plants to support pollinators and more.
Mason Bee Lifecycle Information
Master gardeners have gathered blocks and tubes from our breeding sites and stored them so that this year's eggs can become next year's cocoons. Cocoon harvesting is the next important part of supporting mason bees to optimal health.
For more information on cocoon harvesting, cleaning, storage and all stages of the Mason Bee lifecycle, click below to visit our Mason Bee Support page. You may also subscribe to our Bee Notes Newsletter to receive lifecycle and workshop updates.
bottom of page