Best bee hotel

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OhBeehave

New Bee
Joined
May 29, 2021
Messages
52
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Number of Hives
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Hi, newbie on here and now have a bit of spare time as an expert (thanks Michael ABKA) has sorted out my hive (another thread/ story) and it was mentioned on their about solitary bees etc.
Can anyone recommend a proven design or a bee hotel to buy that actually gets used?
Also where is the best place to site it?
Thanks
 
Here’s my two, the old and new.
You MUST ensure the entrances are smooth - no rough or jagged edges, for the bees to use the tunnel.
Old one is bamboo canes, new one is a chunk of hardwood drilled out in various diameter holes.
As of today, the bamboo one is 100% used, the chunk now has half a dozen holes sealed.
I think it best to face them in a southerly aspect. They need some protection from the rain during the Winter.
 

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Here’s my two, the old and new.
You MUST ensure the entrances are smooth - no rough or jagged edges, for the bees to use the tunnel.
Old one is bamboo canes, new one is a chunk of hardwood drilled out in various diameter holes.
As of today, the bamboo one is 100% used, the chunk now has half a dozen holes sealed.
I think it best to face them in a southerly aspect. They need some protection from the rain during the Winter.
Thanks, that is simple enough and clearly works!
 
Make the holes an assortment of different sizes.
2 to 10mm
The 6mm holes get most use with me
Place them in a sunny spot. Mine are all south facing
 
Facing must be SE/ Southerly aspect for the morning/early p.m sun as it moves around.
 
There's a huge one near our house, with multiple sections, but only the bamboo tubes seem to get used. The holes drilled in wood are all empty

Of course, some of the other sections (pine cones etc) might be being used but wouldn't show evidence of this.
 

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