Follow these steps to build your own nesting box to attract bees to your garden.
Bee nesting box uk.
Initially the blue tit had a problem with evicting a resident bee.
Only worker honeybees make delicious honey using nectar gathered from flowers.
When to see them.
Bee populations have been dwindling in recent years and building homes is just one way of encouraging them to stick around.
They might buzz a bit but they won t fly in the dark so it s safest to do it then.
Last year we had blue tits nesting in it and five chicks fledged successfully.
We can make a nest box for bees out of wood the most suitable is the wood of deciduous trees or hollow plant stalks such as bamboo or cane.
Native tit is being forced out of bird boxes by bees according to chris packham.
Ground bees nest in dry soil avoiding damp areas when choosing nesting sites.
This year although the blue tits were initially prospecting the box we have had no interest.
Take a look at how to identify some of the most common types of bees in the uk.
Each hive can contain over 20 000 bees.
For bees the most important part is the nesting material while the shape is up to our personal taste and available space.
The easiest least toxic method for controlling ground bees is to simply keep potential nesting sites well watered.
They don t see red light well so if you need to see what you re doing put some red plastic film acetate over a torch or use a red l e d.
As soon as you notice ground bee activity begin soaking the area with a full inch of water each week.
Rear legs bare and shiny.
Smaller bees such as harebell bees chelostoma sp and masked or yellow faced bees hylaeus spp are also attracted to nest boxes a range of solitary wasps may also use the nest box these will act as a great natural pest control in your garden collecting flies small caterpillars and aphids to provision their nests.
To move a nest safely it is best to do it in the dark when all of the bees will be in the nest and docile.
I have a webcam on a bird box on the side of our house.
Bumblebees mason bees mining bees these are just one small part of a big beautiful family.
Beehives or cavities above ground.
Birds and bees are battling it out for control of nesting boxes reveals springwatch host chris packham.
Some species will nest in holes in the ground while others will look for old beetle holes or hollow stems in which to lay their eggs.
Abdomen with amber bands or completely black.
1 choose a nesting material.
The female spends most of her life searching for suitable nesting sites.
Making a nest box in five steps.
Follow the steps below to build your very own.
Best practices for controlling ground bees.
You might be surprised to learn there are more than 250 species of bee in the uk.
Or we can use.
An untreated wooden plank at least 10 cm wide.
