Making a hotel for the bees

As mentioned in our previous blog bees are very important to our eco system and should be encouraged to thrive and visit our gardens so they can continue to aid us with the pollination of plants, but why stop there, why not go that extra step and make a habitat for the bees in your garden.

There is a species of bees called mason bees, these bees are non-aggressive and the female of the species likes to lay her eggs in hollow stems such as sunflower stems or bamboo. You can help out and encourage these types of bees to your garden by making a bee hotel and here is how you can go about it:

You will need some tools like a wood saw and drill

First of all get your stems ready, ideally the holes should vary in diameter between 2mm and 10mm to attract the widest range of species.

Now you will need to get a plank of some untreated wood or ply and make sure it’s at least 100mm wide and grab some screws while you’re at it. Now start by cutting your wood in to 4 pieces to create a rectangular frame (alternatively you can get wood cut at hardware stores for you), then drill some holes for the screws and assemble your frame as if you were making a box.

If wanting to paint your box now is the time and make sure to let it dry before starting the next process.

Depending on your choice of stem, either cut them with secateurs or saw them to a length that will fit the same depth as the box you have crafted and sand down any rough edges. Delicately start to fill the frame of your hotel with your stems and as you do once you are adding the final stems it will all lock in to place and become secure.

Find a suitable wall or fence that is sheltered from the rain and that’s it job done.

Another alternative to constructing your own bee hotel is to get a large log or a tree stump and drill the holes directly in to it.

Need any more gardening information or would like to know more about any or our services give us a call today on 0115 961 5431 or send us an email at mailto:info@psmmowers.co.uk, where a member of staff will be more than happy to help you out.