Loading…
23
Scrap wood and bamboo turned into a home for bees in my yard
I always had extra wood pieces lying around. After learning about pollinator decline, I decided to help. I crafted a simple bee hotel with drilled holes. Now bees buzz around my flowers all day long. My vegetable patch is more productive because of it.
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
ivan987mo ago
That's a great way to use up scrap wood. Have you thought about the hole sizes? Different bees need different diameters, like 2 to 10 millimeters. I drilled mine too big at first and only got wasps. Also, keep the hotel dry and off the ground to stop rot. You might need to replace the bamboo tubes every couple years since they can hold moisture. Isn't it wild how quickly they find the place?
4
christopherbrown7mo ago
Leafcutter bees love 6mm holes, so I went a bit overboard with that size. Switched to reed stems after my bamboo turned to mush in the rain. Now I have more bees than I know what to do with.
4
the_cameron7mo ago
Actually, going for perfect hole sizes feels like overthinking it. Nature doesn't work with exact measurements like that. My blocks have all kinds of random holes from cracks and old drill bits, and the bees still move right in. A little moisture hasn't ruined my bamboo either, maybe because it's in partial shade. They've lasted four seasons now. I'd say just build it and see what happens, way more fun than worrying about every detail.
4