Your Guide to Incubating Summer Leaf Bees for Successful Pollination
Summer Leaf bees hibernate as dormant, mature larvae inside their leafy cocoons. Their development from larva to adult is driven by temperature and humidity — warmer conditions speed up development. This entire process is called incubation.
If you purchase Summer Leaf bee cocoons from Crown Bees, we begin warming them for you so they arrive ready to emerge. Learn more here: Picking Your Summer Leaf Bee Ship Date and Summer Leaf Bees by Mail.
If you harvested cocoons yourself, plan for their emergence to align with warm summer weather and open blooms.
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Looking for an Easier Incubation Setup?
Our Summer Leaf Bee Incubation Kit maintains ideal warmth and humidity with minimal guesswork, giving your bees the best possible start to the season.
Incubating Summer Leaf bees can be slightly tricky. They require both heat and humidity — heat alone can dry them out. Their leafy cocoons are not waterproof, so never soak or mist them. But too little airflow can allow mold to develop.
How to Incubate
Place your harvested cocoons in a container that holds 60–70% humidity in a warm area such as an unheated garage, water-heater room, or sheltered outdoor space.
Add a damp (not dripping) sponge and crack the lid slightly for airflow. Monitor conditions daily with a humidity gauge.
Development Timing
- 84°F / 30°C → emergence in ~20 days
- 70°F / 21°C → emergence in ~42 days
Pro Tip: Summer Leaf cocoons cannot regulate internal heat above 90°F / 32°C. If your incubation area exceeds this temp, move cocoons to a cooler spot and release adults as they emerge.
Some native Summer Leaf species develop more quickly. Check your container every few days during warm periods. Release early emergers near your bee house to keep them local.
Releasing Adult Bees
When adults begin emerging, place cocoons into a hatchery and set it inside your bee house. Choose from:
- Cocoon Hatchery Tube — compact & easy
- Chalet or Tower Hatchery — larger capacity
Watch for Parasitic Wasps
Important: Pteromalus parasitic wasps emerge in about 9–14 days and attack developing Summer Leaf bees. Check the container often and kill any wasps you find.
Need More Leaf Options?
Female Summer Leaf bees cut small circles from soft, flexible leaves to build their leafy cocoons. If your yard doesn’t naturally provide suitable foliage, or you want specific planting suggestions, see our guide:
Providing Leaves for Summer Leaf Bees
Pro Tip: Plant peas, beans, or strawberries when you begin incubation as they provide ideal cutting material for Summer Leaf bees.