Unlike the familiar bumblebee and honeybee, most of our bees do not make colonies but are actually solitary. The female spends most of her life searching for suitable nesting sites. Some species will nest in holes in the ground, while others will look for old beetle holes or hollow stems in which to lay their eggs. If you can provide a suitable home, these bees will come to you.
You will need:
- An untreated wooden plank, at least 10cm wide.
- A piece of wood to back the bee home.
- Plenty of hollow stems of different diameters (including the bees’ preferred 3-5mm), such as bramble, reed or bamboo. To attract a range of species include 2-10mm diameter holes.
- Saw, drill, screws and secateurs.
- A mirror fixing to hang the finished nest up.