Grow Your Own Magazine

Today I witnessed a bumble bee crawling into the shelter I've made for them!
I'M SO HAPPY

It's just a clay flower pot that I've stuffed with used straw from my pet mouse, turn upside down, with the hole closed of course to keep the rain to come in... It's a real success!
I think the smell from the straw have contributed greatly because I don't have that many bumble bee around...the smell might have attracted them

It was sunset and lady bumble bee was returning from a hard day work, and in the same time I witnessed the first flight of two babies great tit, with it's parents singing non stop in the elder tree, to guide them!
They have been great in controlling the aphids on this particular tree, which was infested, now they show their kids where to go for food.... I feel blessed

I think you're right about the 'mouse smell' being important maria. When I got one of the wooden bee boxes I did some googling for info and apparently bumble bees 're-use' old mouse nests. So I think maybe if I do get another bee nest (the last one wasn't succesful!) then I'll need some mouse 'smell'.

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

oh wow that's so great! i made a home this year very similar sounding to yours, but no sign of success, but then again, i didn't put straw in - i think i will try that tip, thanks!

That's great!
I'd like to try the flower pot nest, but I'm confused as to how they get in there! I'm assuming they crawl in from underneath, do you make sure there a gaps for them?

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

you put in a pipe that goes from the outside into the pot.

How exciting marialittlebzz, keep us updated!

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Imagination is everything, it is a preview of what is to become.

Actually, the pot is just sit on a flat stone close enough to the edge to make a "door" were they crawl into...