Following a suggestion from Tim to drill some holes in our Bird nesting box, I decided to experiment with some pieces of the old Leylandii.
My first attempt has holes of 8 and 10mm. Drilling single holes which don't intersect was a major problem.
Not sure about this site as it faces north whilst advice on the subject says they should be in full sun. However our window drain holes that are used every year face north!!! So I may leave it and see how it does.
The second attempt has 10mm holes only but they are deeper, at about 12cm.
This site should keep it dry, which is important and faces south so it gets plenty of warm sun.
We will see how many get used, if any.
5 comments:
The door our mason bees nest in is west facing. I'm sure they don't read the manual, so I think you are right to leave your bee hotel where it is and see what happens. If you have a long drill of 5-7mm diameter, do a few with that too. Some species are really picky about diameter and depth, and others not so much. The European Orchard Bees Osmia cornuta are the main ones I get, and they nest in the back door in small holes, but in the east facing stone wall of the graineterie in bigger diameter holes. Later in the year you should also get their close cousins the Leafcutter Bees Megachile spp using some holes and if you've got a few deep big diameter holes the Violet Carpenter Bees Xylocopa violacea might use them. Some of the Mason Bees Osmia spp aren't picky at all though -- I've seen them use garden hose and gaps between objects that aren't even tubular holes.
"Mason Bees Osmia spp aren't picky at all"....
yes, the door uprights of our 2CVs have been used too!!
Thougtht youm oughta know that!!
Nice looking nests...
We had mason bees in the holes in our widow frames last year.
I'm trying to think what Colin's next project might bee.....!!
Might try this and see what happens here. Ta for the idea. Diane
I love that donkey in your last post, Diane...
I think it was trying to ask you something important...
but couldn't get you to understand ;-}...
Heee...
Haaww!!
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