This was the link posted and it doesn't have inspection tubes.
They make many different types of nest boxes. There are other professional companies that have researched long and hard into making ideal designs for solitary bees. I can't keep honeybee hives where I live, so these designed boxes are the next best thing for. I don't mind shelling out £50, where it would be hundreds for hives and equipment. This one is used at Kew Gardens and the maker was featured on Springwatch some years back.
Wow thanks everyone. That's a lot of info. As someone else said I don't mind paying a bit more for one that will actually be used and not just collect spiders. @Fire yours looks nice. Can you take the tubes out to clean them?
@Fairygirl I don't really have anything to give me enough twigs yet. But I can raid the woods near me! Is it just thin hollow twigs you leave out?
It would appear from reading the links that people have provided above that solitary bee nest boxes etc must be protected from the rain and once occupied will usually need overwintering somewhere dry but cold, such as a car port, and then returned back outside early spring. If the box gets saturated with rain then the nest inside the hole can get destroyed or fungus can grow and kill the larvae.
It would appear from reading the links that people have provided above that solitary bee nest boxes etc must be protected from the rain and once occupied will usually need overwintering somewhere dry but cold, such as a car port, and then returned back outside early spring. If the box gets saturated with rain then the nest inside the hole can get destroyed or fungus can grow and kill the larvae.
Brilliant, thanks everyone! @Fire I think I'll get one with the viewing window. I can imagine my son will love that when he's a bit older. I like the ones that can be cleaned, since that apparently can cut down on the disease (which makes sense).
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@Fairygirl I don't really have anything to give me enough twigs yet. But I can raid the woods near me! Is it just thin hollow twigs you leave out?
https://www.schwegler-natur.de/portfolio_1408430231/insektennisthaus/?lang=en
@wild edges is this your routine?