How To Make A Nest Box For Wild Bees?

Wild bees, commonly referred to as bumblebees, are part of the large family of solitary and social bees, which are unfortunately endangered. These bees are excellent pollinators that do not produce honey and only sting if they feel threatened. They appreciate our gardens, especially when we offer them shelter to deposit their larvae. Nowadays, many people who want to make a gesture for the environment, embark on the manufacture of nesting boxes for solitary bees. Thus, we protect bumblebees while maintaining pollination - a natural technique necessary for the reproduction of more than 80% of plant species. Read on to learn more about bumblebees and how to make a bee nest.

Why make a bee nesting box?

Wild bees are currently very threatened, in particular because of the excessive use of pesticides. As already explained, these bees participate greatly in the pollination of the vast majority of plant species, therefore, the decline of these bugs is a most alarming observation. Making a nesting box for bees is more than beneficial for them, especially in winter. They will be able to protect themselves from the cold, but also will have at their disposal a nesting site. Plus, a do-it-yourself insect nesting box is a perfect activity to educate children about the benefits of bees.

First, to attract solitary bees to your garden, consider planting honey flowers like lavender, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Then, we must offer them a shelter to make their nests. Several gardening and DIY stores already offer insect nesting boxes that are perfect for adopting wild bees in the garden or on the balcony. But if you'd rather make a bee nesting box yourself, we're going to show you a great tutorial right away for you to try!

How to make a birdhouse for solitary bees and critters: tutorial

Now we present you an original and inspiring tutorial on how to make a bee or critters nesting box yourself. First, the list of materials and tools needed!

Materials:

• Spruce boards

• Wood screws

• 1 sanding sponge

• Wood glue

• Paint

• Paper straws

Tools:

• 1 circular saw

• 1 tape measure • 1

electric drill

• 1 7/64”drill bit

• 1 screwdriver with bits

• 1 brush

• Scissors

Instructions:

1. First of all, you will need a hexagon template to download. This will help you cut out the bottom of the bee nest box, which will have a hexagonal shape. Trace the cut out pattern on your spruce board, then cut it out with the circular saw.

2. The next step is to determine the depth of the nest box you want to make. Once this is done, all you have to do is cut 6 rectangles of the same size from the spruce boards.

3. Using the drill and matching bit, drill the holes first, then drive the screws until all the boards are secure.

4. For better insulation, apply glue along the edges. If you want to paint the birdhouse, choose a glue that can be painted.

5. Before painting, it is necessary to sand the entire surface of the nest box. This removes dirt and creates a flat surface. Thus, the result of the varnishing will be of better quality.

6. If you plan to install the bee nest in the garden, where it will be exposed to the elements, remember to waterproof the shelter with a suitable product that will not harm the bumblebees.

7. You can now take the creative step! Take the brush and paint the birdhouse with the color of your choice. Have fun drawing geometric shapes or making a great color gradient. We remind you that the paint used must be suitable for outdoor use.

8. As for which paper straws to use, it is better to use several of different diameters. Cut them to get the desired length. Gather the straws into a bundle and place it in the nest box. Insert more straws to fill in the empty spaces.

* Why exactly do you use paper straws? These are easy to replace, so you can provide your bees with a clean environment every year. In addition, paper straws “breathe” which means less pests and diseases.

Some useful tips

Once ready, your bee nest should be finally installed. Place it at a minimum of 30 cm from the ground (not to exceed 3 meters in height). It should also be placed in the shade and oriented East / South-East, preferably, to promote nesting. If possible, reserve a flowered area for the nest box.

* For the first idea of a bee nest box, photo credit A Beautiful Mess

* The tutorial on making a nest box for bees out of wood and straws, here

Here is a video tutorial that could also inspire you