Bird boxes/insect houses etc ???

[Mr Bones]

I had 2 jnsect boxes but no visitors . I think too exposed and facing into the wind. Should they be more sheltered?

Our insect houses that face south get the most visitors and they also pick up the prevailing SW winds (probably nothing like the winds you get though ) . The ones facing north are less used.

[Containergardener]

Mine are Southwest facing and get the brunt of the wind. Perhaps il move to other part of pergola with some better shelter keeping them same direction.
thanks

[w33blegurl]

I have cats at home so no bird boxes, but the one at the allotment has had some blue tit activity so am hoping they might be nesting in there! We do have couple of bee hotels at home and they seem to get plenty interest each year! Fascinating to watch all the different bees to-ing and fro-ing!

[Two_Sheds]

I’ve had bird boxes for years, never used. They build nests in my bay, camellia, Berberis and hebe though: I don’t over prune anything for that reason.

solitary bee boxes are well used, and fascinating. They’re east or south facing

last year we raised a clutch of peacock butterflies on a sunny patch of nettles, there was a bumblebee nest under the shed, and a wasp nest in an old compost heap (they weren’t at all aggressive, despite their flight path being on my literal path)

we have finally seen the hedgehog 🦔 and foxies, on our night vision wildlife cams (c.£45)

[Nicos]

^^^^ lovely to see you Two_Sheds!

We too seem to have a lot of solitary bees around at the moment

[Mr Bones]

We too seem to have a lot of solitary bees around at the moment

Same here both at home and on the allotment.

[Mr Bones]

The wooden bird box isn't being used at present but has been used for nesting by wrens, blue tits and bumble bees. The plastic boxes (made from 4 inch waste pipe) haven't been used for nesting but have been used (as far as I can tell) for roosting.

[Bren In Pots]

We've got a couple of bird boxes only ones ever been used, then a bug box that the Leaf cutter bees seem to like.

[annie8]

Watching the bee hotel on the silver birch today saw a wasp go Into it.

[peanut]

I have bird boxes and have robins and blackbirds who seem to take turns in one particular box and blue tits who have been nesting in my boxes for at least 4 years. It makes me so happy!
I also have mason bees nesting in holes in my brickwork, from where hanging baskets have been hung in the past, I now add a few new holes each year just for the bees. I get leafcutter bees nesting in flower pots too.

[mothhawk]

This evening, about 6.30pm, I saw a butterfly flitting round the garden. It was darkish but moving too fast for me to identify from a distance, and it didn't settle. But to my surprise it then went straight to the empty bluetit box and straight inside. No pause at the entrance hole or anything. It was most likely a small tortoiseshell, as there are a lot about, but could have been a peacock.

Something I've never seen happen before.

I shall watch at the same time tomorrow in case it's a creature of habit.

[burnie]

I've not seen anything using my Bat roosting box I fitted to the big Birch tree last year, plenty of Pipistrelles flying around at night though.