Saw a bee fly low over the lawn two days ago. Looked like a small bumble bee but wasn't close enough or quick enough to see. I'm in South Wales, not far from the sea. That was the first bee I've seen this year.
Is it the kind that is full of holes/bamboo canes? If it's for solitary bees (leaf cutter bees etc) and mason bees then I'd say to pop it in a south facing position about a metre above the ground. Somewhere quiet and not too shaded by plants.
If it's the bumble bee nest type (basically a box with a tube leading into it and nesting material inside) then they need to be buried in the soil, or placed in long grass, under a hedge somewhere quiet where it won't be disturbed.
Thanks Cheery It's the first type. The instructions that came with it are a bit vague and certainly didn't say anything about height above the ground. That's really helpful
I've seen online how to make the nest type - don't really have anywhere suitable .... yet.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I was thrilled to see the pulmonarias in the garden alive with honey bees yesterday. It was beautifully sunny and we are very sheltered from the north and easterly winds which gives us a good microclimate here in West Midlands. There were also a few bumble bees around but not sure what type. It really felt as though Spring is in the air - at last
I'll have a go at taking pics next time to compare with those great photos from Cheerypeabrain above.
I saw quite a few a couple of days ago on the flowers of a garden centre in Necton, Norfolk, but not yet in my own garden... Sorry, just seen one out the front, getting very busy in the sunshine. That's promising!
The wind has eased here and I've seen one tortoiseshell butterfly and been buzzed by on ebee that I didn't see. Lots of snowdrops and hellebores still out here plus crocuses and dwarf daffs so plenty of nectar for them. The other usual suspects for April are keeing their heads well down so their flowers will be late.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
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Saw a bee fly low over the lawn two days ago. Looked like a small bumble bee but wasn't close enough or quick enough to see. I'm in South Wales, not far from the sea. That was the first bee I've seen this year.
The sun was out all day here yesterday (Cambridge). Bee's everywhere
My pulmonarias aren't out yet, so no bees on them
I've been given a bee hotel for a very late Christmas present - where's the best place to put it?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Is it the kind that is full of holes/bamboo canes? If it's for solitary bees (leaf cutter bees etc) and mason bees then I'd say to pop it in a south facing position about a metre above the ground. Somewhere quiet and not too shaded by plants.
If it's the bumble bee nest type (basically a box with a tube leading into it and nesting material inside) then they need to be buried in the soil, or placed in long grass, under a hedge somewhere quiet where it won't be disturbed.
Thanks Cheery
It's the first type. The instructions that came with it are a bit vague and certainly didn't say anything about height above the ground. That's really helpful 
I've seen online how to make the nest type - don't really have anywhere suitable .... yet.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi there,
I was thrilled to see the pulmonarias in the garden alive with honey bees yesterday. It was beautifully sunny and we are very sheltered from the north and easterly winds which gives us a good microclimate here in West Midlands. There were also a few bumble bees around but not sure what type. It really felt as though Spring is in the air - at last
I'll have a go at taking pics next time to compare with those great photos from Cheerypeabrain above.
Carly
Thanks for the great photo's Cheery!
If anyone is interested in identifying the bees they see, here are a few web links:
General Bee ID:
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/british/Bees/identification
Bumblebees:
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/insects-spiders/identification-guides-and-keys/bumblebees/
http://www.bumblebee.org/
http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/identification/
Solitary bees:
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/SolitaryBee.html
Honey bees:
http://www.bbka.org.uk/
The wind has eased here and I've seen one tortoiseshell butterfly and been buzzed by on ebee that I didn't see. Lots of snowdrops and hellebores still out here plus crocuses and dwarf daffs so plenty of nectar for them. The other usual suspects for April are keeing their heads well down so their flowers will be late.