Mason/Solitary bee hive; getting one started - any advice?

[Wheelie1000]

I want to get a couple of Solitary bee hives and would be grateful for any advice or for the contact details of someone that could give me some advice, such as how do you attract them into a hive to get one started?

I'm told the critical thing is to make sure the tubes don't get damp and a lot of the bought ones I've seen have either no or v little overhang on the hive roof which seems a bad idea to me as rain can hit at 45 degrees in this country. I have a tiny garden and no space in my lean to log store so am planning to attach a wooden box with bamboo canes inside to a wall but with a large protruding roof to keep the rain out.

Some specific qu's:

1. When should I put my make shift bee house (not hive) out?
2. How do I attract solitary bees to it? (I've heard of some people putting pheromones on the box...or honey??...I dont have bee pheromones to hand !)
3. Cleaning..do you throw the bamboo cane away each year and start again... rot/mildew and fungus kills them apparently?
4. How do I keep them warm/insulated in the winter if the box is attached to an external wall?

Thanks for the help​

 

[WolfCub]

Hello, looking over my Wolfcub husband's shoulder, I just spotted your post, so here's a quick reply: look up Hutchingsbeeservice if you want some really good ideas! Its a Canadian site, where they really encourage solitary bees to help with orchard fertilisation; his mason bee condo ideas and information are great. We've just made a "bee barn" here on our farm as we had to take down an old wall with at least three solitary bee species in it ( which I've saved, I think). Also go to the BWARS website, if you haven't already. Regarding your quesions, as you are aware, its the wet that's the main problem, so if there is a cold dry shed the box can be brought into for the worst of the winter, that is apparently good, provided mice & birds don't get at it. The bees should just arrive, but siting the box correctly is important so you may have to try a few places; not sure I'd bother with any "attractants" although lemon oil is apparently similar to a queen honey bee. Bees are amazingly adaptable and our efforts to "help" them do not always succeed, but given their vital importance to our continued supply of foodstuff, let alone biodiversity, every careful effort is well worth a try.

hope this helps,

Mrs WolfCub

 

[Stringmaker]

I too am keen to know the answer to this.

My bee hotel is a birch log with multiple drilled holes along its length, with a good solid pitched roof. It hangs on our shed door right next to our very young apple tree. Last year our total crop was 3 Russets, so I'm hoping for some bee action this year.

 

[Wheelie1000]

Hello, looking over my Wolfcub husband's shoulder, I just spotted your post, so here's a quick reply: look up Hutchingsbeeservice if you want some really good ideas! Its a Canadian site, where they really encourage solitary bees to help with orchard fertilisation; his mason bee condo ideas and information are great. We've just made a "bee barn" here on our farm as we had to take down an old wall with at least three solitary bee species in it ( which I've saved, I think). Also go to the BWARS website, if you haven't already. Regarding your quesions, as you are aware, its the wet that's the main problem, so if there is a cold dry shed the box can be brought into for the worst of the winter, that is apparently good, provided mice & birds don't get at it. The bees should just arrive, but siting the box correctly is important so you may have to try a few places; not sure I'd bother with any "attractants" although lemon oil is apparently similar to a queen honey bee. Bees are amazingly adaptable and our efforts to "help" them do not always succeed, but given their vital importance to our continued supply of foodstuff, let alone biodiversity, every careful effort is well worth a try.

hope this helps,

Mrs WolfCub

Dear Mrs WolfCub,

Firstly, I would like to thank-you for leaning over your husband's shoulder and secondly for the sincerely appreciated advice. The websites you recommended are a really big help. The bee barn set up on the Hutchings site may be beyond me. I've been told to just use sawn off sections of bamboo with about 5 inches from the end of the bamboo cell enclosure, do you think that would work OK?

Thanks again

 

[British Red]

I too am keen to know the answer to this.

My bee hotel is a birch log with multiple drilled holes along its length, with a good solid pitched roof. It hangs on our shed door right next to our very young apple tree. Last year our total crop was 3 Russets, so I'm hoping for some bee action this year.

The weather didn't help last year - many of the pollinators could not fly at the critical time period. It was such a bad year that honey harvests were down 75% for many bee keepers. Can't help with the solitary bee homes I'm afraid - we have gone the honey bee route.

 

[Stringmaker]

The weather didn't help last year - many of the pollinators could not fly at the critical time period. It was such a bad year that honey harvests were down 75% for many bee keepers. Can't help with the solitary bee homes I'm afraid - we have gone the honey bee route.

You're right about the awful weather at exactly the point the pollinators should have been out.

I'll report back later on our harvest this year.

 

[British Red]

I'll be interested to hear - we have a small immature orchard and part of the reason for starting bee keeping is to see if it improves our pollination

 

[Elen Sentier]

This thread is going to Hubby who also wants to do this ... as I spect I'll get involved will post how it gets on and if we have any customers coming

 

[demographic]

I threw one up from scraps at work ages ago, doddle to make and although I could have made it all twee and curvy that takes more than the few mins I had spare at bait time.
By far the part that took the longest was cutting the bamboo.

One thing though, I hadn't really thought about it much but there's only ever one blocked up bamboo tube each year. Seems a waste to have made so many to only have one move in but them's the breaks and that are described as Solitary Bees after all.

That photo was taken ages ago when it was new and before any bees moved in so there's no mud blocked entrances yet.

 

[Harvestman]

Two other things to consider:

1. Put the tubes at different heights (i.e. not always at roughly head height). Some species will be choosy about how high up they are, and lower may be better.
2. A lot of species are ground nesters, to consider sitting one on the ground, perhaps on a flat stone.

 

[Wheelie1000]

Two other things to consider:

1. Put the tubes at different heights (i.e. not always at roughly head height). Some species will be choosy about how high up they are, and lower may be better.
2. A lot of species are ground nesters, to consider sitting one on the ground, perhaps on a flat stone.

Thanks for these suggestions, I will try my two bee houses at different heights

 

[Wheelie1000]

I'll be interested to hear - we have a small immature orchard and part of the reason for starting bee keeping is to see if it improves our pollination

I know a cider/perry maker who tends peoples' orchards in return for the fruit, I can ask him about your pollination if that'd help?

 

[British Red]

We're good mate - thanks - we know why it failed last year - a factor of early warmth and consistent storms and rain during the blossom / pollination season - the blossoms ran early in the warmth but either could not be poliinated or the blossoms were damaged by wind and rain. We're hoping for better results this year...and that the bees will help!