Adopt-a-bee package

Package Includes:

• Leafcutter bee house
  
• Wooden nesting tray's
  
• 50 leafcutter bee cocoons ***
  
• Post mounting sleeve
  
• Downloadable eBook - Bees
  
• Laminated signs
  
• Partners/ sponsors - engraved plaque
  

Encouraging bee pollination in your garden and on your property is a very effective and natural way to increase both yields and crop size.

We can all use a little more pollination!

The Adopt-A-Bee program is quite simple:

“It's all about you teaming with BeeGAP to increase awareness to your community” BeeGAP- Gardeners Adding Pollinators

By placing a house and wood trays in a public area, we believe more people will learn about these gentle bees. Having you as the local expertise ensures that the house is placed wisely, there is suitable surroundings for the bees to thrive, the bees are let loose at the right time, and you're protecting the bees once they're finished with their work.

What to do:

Consider where you want to place these gentle bees. Approach the owner/manager of the public space and help them understand the program. Remember we need to help bees thrive not just survive! We can do this by ensuring that we have nearby:

• Nutritious pollen-filled food
  
• Cocoon Nest building material
  
• Safe nesting hole (we do not endorse holes drilled in wood, as they are unable to be cleaned and inspected)
  
• Protective home
  

Invite the garden manager/owner to visit the BeeGAP website to learn about leafcutter bee gentleness.

Partner with your local garden club or special nursery of your choice. Have them share costs of the bees, house, and mounting structure. Having their name on the plaque is a great way to market their participation and role in education.

Think through what you want to say on the plaque. You have three lines and can say whatever you'd like! If you are sharing in sponsoring the Adopt-A-Bee house, ensure you share their name with you on the plaque.

Note: Please enter your 3 Lines of text in the comments box during the checkout procedure or contact us after placing your order.

Once you receive the complete set, store the bees in your refrigerator until ready to install into your solitary bee house, work with the garden management to consider placement.

Keep the co-sponsor involved with what you're doing. If with a nursery, help them consider selling Leafcutter bees and bee products to their customers.

After each bee season is complete, bring in the trays harvest and store the bee cocoons until next spring and continue the awareness program as long as you'd like.

What you'll receive:

1. The Adopt-a-bee package complete with partners/ sponsors engraved plaque.
   
2. The 50 leafcutter bees will be sent to you immediately. If between January and August, you'll receive the leafcutter bees in September/October.
   
3. Laminated signs that will hopefully bring visiting gardeners closer to learn about your leafcutter bees and other important pollinators.
   
4. Instructional guide and access to our New2Bees Mini Course.
   

Setting up your Adopt-a-bee house:

1. Place the house on a 4x4 or on a specially designed post mounting sleeve and place in a sunny spot, conspicuously near where visitors will see it. Ensure that visitors won't have to walk through flowers or garden beds to get close.
   
2. Orient the house so that it faces the morning sun and about 5' above the ground.
   
3. When you're ready, place the bee cocoons in the nesting tray’s.
   
4. Place the laminated signs on the post or close to the solitary bee house so that visitors will be enticed to come close to investigate. Re-word the sign and laminate it as you see fit. We suggest stapling the Velcro strip to the post/pole.
   
5. Take a picture and email it to us. We'd like to show this on our website and credit both you and your sponsor (if applicable!). In Partnership with www.BeeGAP.co.nz