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  • Bee hotels

    I have had one of these



    for 3 years, and it is used by both mason bees and leafcutter bees. The neat thing is that it is all held together by 2 long bolts secured with wing nuts, so that you can take each 'layer' off to examine and clean out ready for the next year.

    Most of the mason bees have come out already, but the leafcutters are later critturs, and I thought I'd have a quick peak to see how they are doing, so I carefully unbolted the whole thing and separated the layers.

    The leafcutters are at the caterpillar stage, but that's not the reason for this post. There are a few empty holes, and in three of these, each contained a hibernating queen wasp

    Much as I appreciate the way wasps catch and carry off caterpillars, I admit that these are now ex-queens. I have already had two wasp queens come into the house, so I wonder how many there actually were in there.

    Next year I'll check it in January!
    Location - Leicestershire - Chisit-land
    Endless wonder.

  • #2
    That does look good mothhawk I've got one of the smaller I picked up from Lidl but I'm impressed with yours.
    Location....East Midlands.

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    • #3
      I really like that bee hotel Where did you get it from?
      If I'm not on the Grapevine I can usually be found here!....https://www.thecomfreypatch.co.uk/

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      • #4
        Bee hotel

        That's brill just googled bee hotel and by luck the first site I found has this hotel for sale on it. Sorry don't know how to put the link on.. It's arkwildlife.co
        Dogs have masters, cats have slaves, and horses are just wonderful

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        • #5
          Here's the link

          https://www.arkwildlife.co.uk/Item/W...Bee_House.html

          I'll show Neil tomorrow as he may be able to build me one just like it....or I'll treat myself to one on Tuesday when he gets paid
          If I'm not on the Grapevine I can usually be found here!....https://www.thecomfreypatch.co.uk/

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          • #6
            I can't take my one apart to clean like that one & thought they were generally safe but it makes you wonder,do these hotels make it easier for wasps? I'm not sure how to clean mine to make sure its free of mites etc I think bleach might be too harsh but I've got no idea? They should give that sort of information when you buy them...

            Beware! Is your
            Location : Essex

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            • #7
              bee hotels

              I love the idea of helping the solitary bee as we all depend on them and they are working for us right now, but having read about the types of hotels and parasites its not so straight forward firstly these are solitary bees and putting them in a hotel is not so good as parasites can spread , holes must be deep enough so wood peckers and others cant get them and they should come apart to clean once a year,

              my plan if I get time amongst other plans is to make one that has deep holes 5 to 6" and much further apart with perspecs in between each layer of wood so I can open and look without disturbing the contents and I have some stainless steel for a roof, wood is just going to rot in the end

              hoping to site it by kitchen window to see who's looking

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              • #8
                Make a Bee Hotel - The Pollinator Garden

                DIY...

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Kier View Post
                  my plan if I get time amongst other plans is to make one that has deep holes 5 to 6" and much further apart with perspecs in between each layer of wood so I can open and look without disturbing the contents and I have some stainless steel for a roof, wood is just going to rot in the end
                  A metal roof could make it too hot for the bees,wood is the best material to use.
                  Location : Essex

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                  • #10
                    Very interesting website thanks madasafish.

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                    • #11
                      I went for overkill.
                      Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
                      By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
                      While better men than we go out and start their working lives
                      At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling

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