Solitary bee houses are buzzing!

[selfraising]

Quite excited, I have two solitary bee houses set up in the garden of which 3 or 4 holes in each were plugged up over winter. I now have at least 2 dozen bees buzzing around outside them Are they looking for nesting sites at this time of year? They all seem to be flying in and out of the tubes and knocking each other out of the way, almost as if they are battling it out for the best hole.

[mothhawk]

Hi,
Whereabouts in your garden have you sited them? Do they need to be above ground level, on a wall, that sort of thing? I'm going to make a couple of bumblebee nests from flowerpots, but I would like to encourage solitary bees too. I'll pop down to the garden centre next week and see if they have any bee houses (and to see how easy they might be to make!)

[selfraising]

They are fixed to a fence post which gets the sun all afternoon about 3 and 4 foot high. I think they must be quite easy to make, just a box with some hollow canes in them of different sizes.

[purplekat]

This website has some good info and pics on it
Basically any bit of wood/old fence post (not new treated timber) with smooth holes of 2-10mm diameter drilled into it. Placed in full sun and at least 1m above the ground

Make a Solitary Bee House

I want to make one of these

[dogsbody]

I have a manufactured one (brand name withheld) and regretably left it out all last winter (usually it hibernates like a tortoise in the garage) so -18C did it no good at all even though all 20+ tubes had been filled to the brim, so I bought new tubes this year. The old ones were recyled into the insect pile under the hedge.

So far at least 6 tubes have been filled and it is a delight to watch the "young ladies" going in head first to place the pollen, backing out, turning around and reversing in to lay the egg.

[roitelet]

Who needs to provide a house? CK left his bycycle pump on the table outside for a few days and a bee started to make a nest in the handle where the adaptor goes!

[mrbadexample]

I made a bee log today, but posted my thread in the wrong place. Please look here.

Thanks,
MBE

[Pickle]

I have a house on my fence with a section at the top for ladybirds, solitary bees in the middle and lacewing flies at the bottom. The entire bee section has been filled up in the past 10days and they've now filled up half of the ladybird section too! Needless to say, I asked for (and was given) a new bee house for my birthday last week. I hope my new one sees as much action as my old one as it is fascinating to watch :-) And, I've since found out that solitary bees are unlikely to sting. I love how I learn new things everyday in my garden :-)

[mrbadexample]

I have a house on my fence with a section at the top for ladybirds, solitary bees in the middle and lacewing flies at the bottom. The entire bee section has been filled up in the past 10days and they've now filled up half of the ladybird section too! Needless to say, I asked for (and was given) a new bee house for my birthday last week. I hope my new one sees as much action as my old one as it is fascinating to watch :-) And, I've since found out that solitary bees are unlikely to sting. I love how I learn new things everyday in my garden :-)

Sounds great - can I ask when you get the sun on the box? I'm making one which I was going to put on the wall of the house, but the first sun to hit the garden is in the top end away from the house. Which do you think would be best?

[Pickle]

Mine gets the sun nearly all day long as it is on a south facing fence. I'm struggling a bit with my new one as it is a hanging one and it's hard to find somewhere to hang it that isn't shaded by trees! Might have to get something especially for it to hang it on :-) Project for Hubbie I thknk :-)

[dogsbody]

The advice I had was at least 4 feet off the floor on a south facing wall with the opening pointing in a non-prevailing wind direction and angled slightly down to the front. Hibernate in October (the garage in lots of paper etc) and replace in March / April.

Up to 10 tubes blocked today and they keep going. Mine is on the house wall next to the drive so a dish kept topped up with soil / water mix nearby is essential.

[mrbadexample]

The advice I had was at least 4 feet off the floor on a south facing wall with the opening pointing in a non-prevailing wind direction and angled slightly down to the front. Hibernate in October (the garage in lots of paper etc) and replace in March / April.

Up to 10 tubes blocked today and they keep going. Mine is on the house wall next to the drive so a dish kept topped up with soil / water mix nearby is essential.

Thanks (Pickle too). The dish is a water / mineral supply?

[dogsbody]

Thanks (Pickle too). The dish is a water / mineral supply?

No it is to provide a ready supply of mud so they can block the tubes up sealing egg and food (pollen) inside. It is not essential as they will use borders etc., but as my front garden is gravelled it does become essential.

[mrbadexample]

Gotcha. Good tip, thanks.

[endymion]

This is a brilliant idea, but do they ever get emptied by woodpeckers?