Bird boxes/insect houses etc ???

[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.

[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.

[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.

[annie8]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Nicos]

^^^^ lovely to see you Two_Sheds!

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

[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)

[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!

[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

[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]

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

I still havnt any bird boxes up. Last yr I was about to take out a water feature and great tits started nesting in it. So I left them.
we have bats in the summer , seems to be a maternity roost.

[ESBkevin]

We've had a through type insect box among the espalier fruit trees for several years (they are against a wooden screen so not fully exposed). Also we put up a bird box with a hole about 4 years ago, moved it to the other side of the shed last year because it hadn't been occupied thus far. We always leave sunflowers, marigolds etc. through the winter for food and now the no dig beds are laid out and covered in muck/compost they are clearly a source of bird food (debris tossed about onto the paths etc.)
I might try a robin nest box but the only site on the plot would be the screen behind the espalier fruit which is probably not enough cover for them.

[DannyK]

Have had three Schwegler woodcrete tit boxes up for 20+ years. All occupied every year. Cost a bit but will cost less than a £ a year each.

I have a robin one, never occupied! Must resite it again! There are robins nesting in garden somewhere.

If you want to see nuthatches feeding head down you'll need a mesh feeder.