@flaflwrgrl : Oops! Colour me embarrassed, I always forget to check where people are from! Doh. So ya, my comment is only valid in North America...

@Gleni: I am totally unfamiliar with what bees you would have in Australia. But I imagine a few species of bee over there would be similar cavity nesters.... Sounds like a very cool project, those do look like very cute bees! That's really cool to have a colonial bee that's stingless! (oh what I wouldn't give...and the price makes more sense now. Sounds like the edge of a new field of study/business/beekeeping) Maybe the price will come down in the future as more people get into keeping them?

@crittergarden : Yes, the term "naturalized" would be the appropriate one for honeybees in NA. (Sorry if I seem to jump on people...thats a pet peeve of mine when they are switched...*deep breath*...) And the compost thing....I'm not sure. I would be worried they would get eaten by other insects (ants) or rodents, or just get to moist and get fungised. They could be just fine...but I worry. :P They emerge really early in my area (at least the ones in my reeds did) so by mid June they could be empty and go in the compost. But ya, after emergence for sure toss in the compost.

Brenda, I think they are probably overpriced. Before people started getting interested you could usually get one for free when someone divided a hive. Now there is interest. I have ran into so many hives over the years but now I am not so keen to search the forest. I do know where there is one in the brick wall of a local church. Wonderfully, they are so proud of it.

Gleni said:... there is one in the brick wall of a local church. Wonderfully, they are so proud of it.

That IS wonderful!

And @BrendaVR , no harm, no foul. I am equally prone to preach about proper care and keeping of house rabbits! And I'll preach for the bees, too, once I have been properly educated!

I'll keep the bee tubes out of the compost pile until Labor Day.
OR would that be too late???
When do they get put into the tubes???
Is it too late this year?
I have no native reeds this year, but I do have hosta reeds from last year - that ok for just this year?
I don't usually have hostas but I removed some for a friend last year.

What's the BEST zone 5 plant to produce reeds?

Was that enough questions for you?

Does anyone have any good online plant sources that do not use neonicotianoids?

I don't know about online, but I try locally owned and operated family businesses and I ask questions. If they can't answer, I move on.

Here, we have an Audubon Society Nature Preserve. They propagate plants for their land and also for the public to buy. That's my FIRST stop.

You local county Ag extension office would be a good place to ask what's available in your county. They (I THINK) are required to also consider non organic ways, but I think if you ask them a direct question, you'll get a straight answer.

1993 was the last time I was connected to an ag extension office (they run "Master Gardener" classes) so the thing about them being "fair" with the chemical companies may be out of date. I certainly hope it is....

@Gleni : Ah so they are just capitalizing on the new intrest... thats to bad. But that is great about the church being proud of their hive! Wonderful to see!

@crittergarden : Heh, yes lots of questions! Not sure I have all the answers. Labor day would likely be longer than nessisary. I've seen my guys flying around today but some are out as early as May so they start laying eggs as soon as their out. I would have fresh bundles out and ready as soon as things start growing, late April to be safe (in my area) and they will start laying eggs as soon as they are out in the area. My bundles seemed to see the most action in June then seemed to stop in July...but each species of bee is slightly different. Also I want to cover mine with hardware cloth a few inches out from the bundle because the woodpeckers also love to eat the bee larva...if they can get at them. But no certienly not to late this year, likely right in the peek of action right now.
Any plant with a hollow or soft pithed center to the stem will work for the bees. Use whatever you have available and I don't think the bees will mind. Just try to get one end with a closing (like at a leaf joint for most plants). Elderberries, some sunflowers think, teasel....lots of things work. So ya the hostas should work. If they don't have a natural closure on one side just fold them and tie it off to create one closed side. I don't think they will use it if is open both sides...or they may and dam it off themselves (I've not experimented). So ya...not sure what the BEST is (or even if there is a best).

OK, so I'll make a hosta bundle, one end tied off, and hang it in a chicken wire "ball", reeds running horizontally. I'll watch it in the spring until it's empty and then I'll toss it on the pile!

@TaStahl Just this morning this came across my Twitter feed from Organic consumers:

http://www.organicconsumers.or...

Hope it helps!

Thank you!! We bought a honey bee hive in May and have put off planting anything new due to a fear of the Neonicotianoids. I'll definitely be digging into that link this evening.

Natives should (SHOULD) be ok.
White clover would be good.
And dandelions, too!
Planning any apple trees?
I am, but the finances aren't there yet.
I have a pound of clover waiting for me at my P.O. box.
If you want, I'll share some for postage only.

crittergarden said:Natives should (SHOULD) be ok.
White clover would be good.
And dandelions, too!
Planning any apple trees?
I am, but the finances aren't there yet.
I have a pound of clover waiting for me at my P.O. box.
If you want, I'll share some for postage only.

Lots of clover & we just spread some more seed today. Lots and lots of dandelions too. Not apple trees planned right now. We'd like to, but there is a lot up in the air right now. If we can get things settled, we'd love to do a few fruit & nut trees.

Sounds like you are about where I am.
I don't have a hive though.
Worried about my ability to keep up with it.
AM putting up a reed chamber for babies.

This is deep:
http://www.panna.org/blog/bee-...

I know.
It's horrifying.

It's criminal.

There's no law (although there should be).
Who are the FDA and the EPA working for anyway?
Profit seeking at the expense of life on earth?

Yes.