Building Bee Hotels

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BUILDING BEE HOTELS

Gardeners.com

NDSU Extension

Harris Center

GET A ROOM: BUILDING BEE HOTELS

NATIVE BEE CONSERVATION

� Always provide a water source

� Bird bath, fountain, something simpler

� Many are native bees are ground dwellers (70%)

� Provide bare ground in dry location for nesting

� Cavity dwellers (30%)

� Live in woodpecker or wood boring beetle holes, plant

stems

� Postpone bed until following spring

� Provides winter shelter

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

GARDEN BED & BEE HOTEL CLEANUP

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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Building Bee Hotels

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NATIVE BEE CONSERVATION

� Always provide a water source

� Bird bath, fountain, something simpler

� Many are native bees are ground dwellers (70%)

� Provide bare ground in dry location for nesting

� Cavity dwellers (30%)

� Live in woodpecker or wood boring beetle holes, plant stems

� Postpone bed until following spring

� Provides winter shelter

� Provide a bee hotel

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SAThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NCThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

BEE HOTEL

(1) Untreated Wood Hotel (2) Hallowed Reed Hotel

WildAboutGardens.org.ukEdmonton Journal

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Building Bee Hotels

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BEE HOTELPurchase/build a bee house for cavity-nesting bees

Two common bee houses available

• (1) Block of untreated wood; 5 by 8 inches with 0.1- to 0.4 inch-diameter holes drilled

• Depth of the holes is critical

• Small holes (less than ¼ inch diameter) should be 3 to 4 inches deep

• Large holes (more than ¼ inch diameter) should be 5 to 6 inches deep

• (2) Features 15 to 20 hollow canes or reeds with one end closed

• Hollow tubes are cut to 6 to 8 inches and tied together

• Make sure the hollow tubes have a closed end and stay dry

Nesting boxes

• Located in a sheltered spot; 3 to 6 feet high

• Entrances facing east or southeast (morning sun)

• Fix nesting boxes to a post, building or tree (wind protection

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

BEE HOTELHole Diameter Bees Expected

Inches Millimeters

3/32 2.4 Polyester Bees

7/32 5.6 Polyester Bees, Hornfaced Bees, Leaf-cutter bees, various mason bees

15/64 6.0 Hornfaced Bees, Leaf-cutter bees, various mason bees

1/4 6.4 Leaf-cutter bees, various mason bees

19/64 7.5 Various mason bees

3/8 9.5 Various mason bees, Carder bees, Blue orchid bees

1/2 12.7 Carder bees, Blue orchid bees

Hole Depth: • 1/4” or less

3-4” deep• Greater than 1/4” 5-6” deep

BEE HOTELPurchase/build a bee house for cavity-nesting bees

Two common bee houses available

• (1) Block of untreated wood; 5 by 8 inches with 0.1- to 0.4 inch-diameter holes drilled

• Depth of the holes is critical

• Small holes (less than ¼ inch diameter) should be 3 to 4 inches deep

• Large holes (more than ¼ inch diameter) should be 5 to 6 inches deep

• (2) Features 15 to 20 hollow canes or reeds with one end closed

• Hollow tubes are cut to 6 to 8 inches and tied together

• Make sure the hollow tubes have a closed end and stay dry

Nesting boxes

• Located in a sheltered spot; 3 to 6 feet high

• Entrances facing east or southeast (morning sun)

• Fix nesting boxes to a post, building or tree (wind protection)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

THE HOTEL ROOM

Photos: University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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Building Bee Hotels

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HOTEL VARIETYColoradoBoulevard.net

DailyMail.co.uk

Pintrest

NotOnTheHighStreet.com

NotOnTheHighStreet.com

InHabitat.com

Pintrest

Milwaukee County Parks

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