It would be interesting to hear about where they should be placed and how high off the ground. There was a good thread about bee hotels a while back and some were spectacular. Hope someone can find it
I'd be interested to know how people have positioned theirs too- I have three different houses facing between south and east ranging from between 30cm and a metre off the ground and have nothing...
South East facing about 5 feet off the ground. We noticed the bees first and then put up the tubes. There are some nesting in the mortar at the moment, but sadly my hubby has started pointing the house. It's going to be a long job so hopefully they will have hatched before he gets to that side.
We have one facing almost due South, been there since last year and it is one of the really thick ones made of a hollowed out log so, unlike many of them, you don't have to bring it into a protected environment in the winter to ensure any larvae don't freeze.
We get two very distinct populations, early in the summer the cells are sealed with mud and later we move onto ones sealed with leaves. If I didn't cook in the sunshine due to my being a redhead, I'd sit and watch for hours. We have loads of bees in the garden this year and this makes me very happy.
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It would be interesting to hear about where they should be placed and how high off the ground. There was a good thread about bee hotels a while back and some were spectacular. Hope someone can find it
Mine is about 1ft off the ground, we bought it for the ladybirds but the bees will do.
I'd be interested to know how people have positioned theirs too- I have three different houses facing between south and east ranging from between 30cm and a metre off the ground and have nothing...
Mine is facing east just over a foot off the ground among the flowers but nothing obstructing it.
South East facing about 5 feet off the ground. We noticed the bees first and then put up the tubes. There are some nesting in the mortar at the moment, but sadly my hubby has started pointing the house. It's going to be a long job so hopefully they will have hatched before he gets to that side.
We have one facing almost due South, been there since last year and it is one of the really thick ones made of a hollowed out log so, unlike many of them, you don't have to bring it into a protected environment in the winter to ensure any larvae don't freeze.
We get two very distinct populations, early in the summer the cells are sealed with mud and later we move onto ones sealed with leaves. If I didn't cook in the sunshine due to my being a redhead, I'd sit and watch for hours. We have loads of bees in the garden this year and this makes me very happy.
Is it a necessity to have them directly in the morning sun? Two of mine are obscured by plants although not inaccessible.
I read somewhere, can't remember where to not have them obstructed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/beekeeping/10401683/How-to-make-a-solitary-bee-hotel.html