A project for those dark winter days?

[Erichalfbee]

How about knocking a few of these up ready to put on a sunny wall in the spring

 

[Newbeeneil]

SWMBO has put in an order for some already

 

[Hachi]

Feel sorry for the first egg, its defo first in last out. Reminds me of my time in the Army. These are easy to make, when I looked into it, I was told to angle the hole slightly upwards to stop water ingress. A simple 4x4 offcut works as does drilling your fence posts.

 

[MuswellMetro]

the tunnels are more likely to be used if 6" deep and a mix of smaller diameter holes that you see being sold retail

 

[Erichalfbee]

The holes need to be smoothe too. I’ve taken mine into the potting shed as the Tits we’re having a go at them.

 

[Hachi]

the tunnels are more likely to be used if 6" deep and a mix of smaller diameter holes that you see being sold retail

Have you a list of dia you could advise MM please

 

[Hachi]

The holes need to be smoothe too. I’ve taken mine into the potting shed as the Tits we’re having a go at them.

Problems with the local yobs Ericha Sorry, sorry couldn't resist

 

[hemo]

I made some simple bee houses by using a 6" tall x 4" x 4" block knocking the two top corners off at 45 degrees, placed a couple bits of feather edge board on top to make a gable roof with over hang on the front. Drilled about 40 holes and a variety of sizes 3mm - 7mm so various solitaries can use them.
Leaf cutter and mason are the two most common ones I see but do get some other really tiny bees use the smaller holes. Some years all holes get use and other years only about 25% are used. Also the brickwork by my front door has about a dozen old rawl plug holes not filled in and every year without fail they are used. All mine are fixed to a N/W point so they get the morning sun from the S/E.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We took a dead pyracantha down this summer and as we were taking the wires down from the wall mason bees were straight into the screw holes

 

[madasafish]

I did this 4-5 years ago.


Be aware that woodpeckers will dig out the holes and eat the young grubs- and destroy the entire wood block.

Wire netting to protect the holes is essential if you have woodpeckers..

From bitter experience.

 

[ericbeaumont]

angle the hole slightly upwards to stop water ingress

Not downwards?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not downwards?

nope - the direction is set from the entrance so downwards would mean the water would collect at the far end of the chamber, upwards would mean the water would run out.

 

[Madge]

Depends whether your understanding of ‘down’ points inwards out outwards!

 

[hemo]

The odd lesser/greater Woodpecker and Nut hatches don't pay the bee houses any attention, I do have a bird table which I placed on a cut down thick 5' tree trunk, the tree trunk I sunk in the ground to steady it. Birds likely have paid a lot of attention to it as it is now with many cracks/grooves which have been raked out where insects /larvae may have been foraged on.
The state of the trunk is bad now and rotting, a replacement will be needed sooner or later, It is a great addition and of interest for foragers.

My 12 something year old Bird table and attached tree trunk raked out.


Simple bee houses, not much uptake this year other years there is hardly a hole left unfilled.

 

[Swarm]

Depends whether your understanding of ‘down’ points inwards out outwards!

You drill inwards from the outside so you do it with a slight upward angle.