If you haven't already done so, it's time to start making plans for your garden now, since spring is very close to arriving. It is to your advantage to have a bee house, regardless of whether you cultivate flowers alone or fruits and vegetables as well.
Beehives and bee houses are two distinct structures. Solitary bees are the ones that live in bee houses, as opposed to the honey bees that live in beehives, which are used to harvest honey. Although they don't produce honey, solitary bees are very effective pollinators.
Cocoons of mason or leafcutter bees are among the beekeeping supplies that some people choose to purchase. While some people construct the hive, others sit and wait for the bees to arrive on their own. Continue reading to find out how to get bees to settle in a bee house.
Disclosure: As an affiliate, I get a commission on orders that meet certain criteria. We will not incur any costs for you and will assist in maintaining the functionality of this website.
What Kinds of Honeybees and Other Insects Are Drawn to Bee Houses?
Leafcutter Bees
Bees known as leafcutter bees get their name from their habit of cutting circular sections off of leaves and utilizing those pieces in the construction of their nests.
Leafcutter bees, much like mason bees, are great at pollinating plants and seldom sting when they do. Pollinating plants such as alfalfa, blueberries, carrots, and onions is a favorite activity of leafcutter bees.
The Mason's Bees
Mason bees are a well-known species of solitary bee that are famous for the use of mud in the construction of their nests. Because they are so mild-mannered, Mason bees are excellent bees to keep in and around your garden.
Mason bees will pollinate everything, but they are especially fond of fruit trees including plums, cherries, peaches, and pears. Mason bees will also fertilize flowers.
Why Should You Keep a Bee House?
Help Native Bees
The native bee population is experiencing a significant drop, the same as that of the honey bee species. In point of fact, close to forty percent of the native bee species in the United States are in danger of becoming extinct.
Planting pollinator gardens that are free of pesticides and offering bee houses as a refuge are two ways that we may assist native bees in their struggle against the problem.
Pollination
Pollination is one of the most common and important reasons people choose to keep bees and keep beehives. Mason bees are really 120 times more successful at pollination than honey bees are. Honey bees are recognized for being pollinators, but mason bees are considerably more effective.
For this reason, mason bees are often used by commercial farmers as pollinators of their crops. However, you do not need to own a farm in order to get the benefits of mason bees. Your garden's ability to generate an abundant crop is directly related to the quality of the bee house that you provide for them.
It's Exciting!
Mason bee and leafcutter bee rearing is a pleasant pastime that is very simple and suitable for families. There is no need to wear protective clothing since neither species of bee is aggressive and very seldom stings.
The activity of bees flying to and from their hive while carrying pollen, leaves, and dirt is utterly mesmerizing to watch for people of all ages, but especially for children.
I appreciate that it is an activity that kids can participate in while also getting them out into nature. They may want to paint the bee house themselves before they put it up and start using it.
If you explain to your children what pollination is and how it impacts the food that we consume, they will be able to gain a lot of knowledge about the environment.
Learn how to attract bees to a bee house in different ways
Establish a Garden for Pollinators.
A pollinator garden is one of the most effective ways to bring bees and other insects to a bee house. This is due to the fact that the pollen and nectar that the flowers produce are an essential source of nourishment for the bees.
You should also include plants that leafcutter bees like to utilize for their nests, such as roses and azaleas if you want to attract them to your garden. These bees love to remove leaves from these plants.
Make Appropriate Housing Available
In order to lure bees to a bee house, the first thing that needs to be done is to make sure that the bees have a comfortable place to live. You have the option of building your own bee house or purchasing one that has already been constructed.
It is also essential to ensure that the nesting tubes you use are of an appropriate size for the kind of bee you want to attract.
Nesting tubes of 8 millimeters in diameter are preferred by mason bees, whereas nesting tubes measuring 6 millimeters in diameter are preferred by leafcutter bees.
In addition, the location of your bee house should be in a spot that is free of dangerous animals and shielded from the elements, including the wind, rain, and direct sunshine.
Make available a source of mud.
Mason bees can only build their nests out of mud, thus if you have a good supply of mud in the area, there is a greater chance that mason bees may visit your property.
You should position the bee house so that it is within 25 feet of an open space that is covered with moist mud. Digging a hole in the earth and filling it with water is a method that some people use to get this.
You may use a mud mix instead of soil if you do not have access to dirt for the creation of a mud source. Mason bees need a certain kind of wet, clay-like mud, and Mason Bee Mud Mix delivers just what they want. Simply adding water is all that is required in order to utilize it effectively.
Buy Cocoons
Rather than spending time and energy attempting to get bees to your bee house, you might instead purchase cocoons of mason or leafcutter bees. When the temperature outside is warm enough, the cocoons are to be brought inside and deposited in the bee house.
The bees will eventually emerge from their eggs and search for suitable cavities in which to deposit their eggs.
Spray That Is Enticing
The inevitable Attractant Spray works by luring bees to your hive by emitting pheromones that have a fragrance similar to that of mason or leafcutter bees.
Spraying InvitaBee onto the front of the nesting holes is how you make use of it. This spray does not ensure that the bees will remain at your site, but it does increase the likelihood that they will do so.
Conclusion on "How to attract bees to a bee house!"
Creating a house for native bees in your yard may be a rewarding and entertaining pastime for the whole family.
If you want to attract bees to a bee house, you should offer enough accommodation, make sure there is a supply of mud nearby, develop a garden that will attract pollinators, and apply an attractant spray.
0 comments:
Post a Comment