Build%20a%20Bee%20Hotel


Hotel%20de%20Sage%2C%20a%20bee%20hotel%20for%20native%20bees%0AHow%20to%20create%20a%20shelter%20that%20attracts%20native%20pollinators%20to%20your%20yard%0ALast%20winter%20my%20wife%20sent%20me%20a%20link%20to%20an%20article%20on%20insekthotels%20%28%u201Cinsect%20hotels%u201D%29%20from%20a%20popular%20German%20nature%20website.%20If%20you%u2019re%20not%20familiar%20with%20these%20%28don%u2019t%20feel%20bad%2C%20I%20wasn%u2019t%20either%29%2C%20they%u2019re%20basically%20the%20same%20as%20a%20birdhouse%20except%20for%20insects%20instead%20of%20birds.%20And%2C%20like%20a%20birdhouse%2C%20there%u2019s%20all%20kinds%20of%20design%20options%20based%20on%20the%20insects%20you%u2019re%20trying%20to%20attract.%0AThe%20insect%20hotels%20in%20the%20article%20were%20huge%20and%20elaborate%20pieces%20of%20art%2C%20built%20like%20Alpine%20chateaus%2C%20castles%20and%20sod-covered%20hobbit%20houses.%20Nice%20to%20look%20at%2C%20but%20nothing%20I%20was%20going%20to%20imitate%20%28too%20fancy%20and%20I%20don%u2019t%20do%20fancy%29%2C%20but%20they%20did%20look%20cool%2C%20so%20I%20decided%20to%20learn%20more%20about%20them.%0AWhat%20Lives%20Here%3F%0AThe%20first%20thing%20I%20learned%20was%20you%20need%20to%20know%20what%20kind%20of%20insects%20live%20around%20you.%20If%20you%20don%u2019t%2C%20you%20might%20end%20up%20spending%20a%20whole%20bunch%20of%20time%20building%20nests%20for%20bugs%20that%20live%20only%20in%20Northern%20Europe%20even%20though%20your%20hotel%20is%20in%20Southern%20California.%0AAfter%20schooling%20myself%20on%20the%20locals%20who%20might%20be%20guests%20for%20my%20hotel%2C%20I%20decided%20that%20most%20of%20the%20bugs%20have%20plenty%20of%20nesting%20space%20in%20the%20surrounding%20area.%20Native%20bees%2C%20however%2C%20are%20having%20trouble%2C%20so%20I%20decided%20to%20make%20my%20hotel%20bee-centric%20%28though%20not%20bee-exclusive%20%26%238212%3B%20all%20insects%20are%20welcome%29.%0ABuilding%20a%20Bee%20Hotel%20for%20the%20Western%20United%20States%0A%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i1.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/01-bee-map-west-usa.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%3C/a%3ERange%20for%20native%20wood%20bees%20in%20the%20western%20U.S.%0AOur%20Bees%0AThe%20West%20coast%20of%20North%20America%20as%20well%20as%20Arizona%2C%20New%20Mexico%20and%20the%20northern%20states%20of%20Mexico%20are%20home%20to%20many%20varieties%20of%20native%20bees%20%26%238212%3B%20up%20to%201%2C600%20distinct%20species%20by%20some%20estimates.%20Most%20of%20these%20bees%20are%20solitary%20or%20live%20in%20small%20colonies.%20There%20is%20no%20queen%2C%20no%20massive%20hive%2C%20or%20stinging%20like%20there%20is%20with%20the%20European%20honey%20bee.%0AIt%u2019s%20no%20surprise%20that%20bees%20living%20in%20the%20arid%20climate%20of%20the%20west%20are%20for%20the%20most%20part%20ground-dwellers%20and%20lay%20their%20eggs%20in%20burrows%20or%20tunnels.%20A%20few%2C%20however%2C%20nest%20in%20wood%2C%20which%20is%20much%20harder%20to%20come%20by.%20Here%20in%20the%20bottom%20left%20hand%20corner%20of%20America%2C%20there%20are%20three%20species%20we%20see%20on%20a%20regular%20basis%3A%0A%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i2.wp.com/arboretum.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk1546/files/inline-images/mason-bee.png%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%3C/a%3Ephoto%20credit%3A%20UC%20Davis%20Public%20Garden%20and%20Arboretum%0A%3Cstrong%3EMason%20bee%20%28Osmia%20Californica%29%3C/strong%3E%0AThese%20guys%20are%20a%20smaller%20bee%20%u2014%20about%20the%20size%20of%20a%20honey%20bee%20%u2014%20but%20usually%20darker%20without%20the%20pronounced%20yellow%20stripes.%20Solitary%20and%20non-aggressive%2C%20they%u2019re%20called%20mason%20bees%20because%20they%20use%20mud%20to%20seal%20the%20cocoon%20and%20some%20pollen%20for%20food%20in%20small%20cavities.%0A%0A%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i2.wp.com/arboretum.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk1546/files/inline-images/valley-carpenter-bee.png%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%3C/a%3Ephoto%20credit%3A%20UC%20Davis%20Public%20Garden%20and%20Arboretum%0A%3Cstrong%3ECalifornia%20Carpenter%20Bee%20%28Xylocopa%20californica%29%3C/strong%3E%0AThis%20is%20the%20big%2C%20black%20shiny%20show%20moving%20bee%20we%20were%20all%20scared%20of%20as%20kids.%20Despite%20it%u2019s%20badass%20looks%2C%20it%u2019s%20actually%20very%20docile%20and%20a%20great%20pollinator%20because%20of%20the%20sheer%20amount%20of%20pollen%20it%20can%20carry.%20%28Seriously.%20If%20a%20honey%20bee%20is%20a%20hatchback%20car%2C%20a%20carpenter%20bee%20is%20more%20like%20a%2030-foot%20semi%20tractor-trailer.%29%20It%u2019s%20known%20as%20the%20carpenter%20bee%20because%20it%20hollows%20out%20old%20and%20rotting%20wood%20in%20which%20to%20lay%20its%20eggs.%0A%0A%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i1.wp.com/arboretum.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk1546/files/inline-images/leafcutter-bee.png%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%3C/a%3Ephoto%20credit%3A%20UC%20Davis%20Public%20Garden%20and%20Arboretum%0A%3Cstrong%3ELeafcutter%20bee%2C%20%28Megachilidae%20ssp.%29%3C/strong%3E%0AA%20cousin%20of%20the%20mason%20bee%2C%20this%20one%20likes%20to%20line%20its%20nesting%20tubes%20with%20pieces%20of%20leaf%20it%20cuts%20%28thus%20the%20name%29.%20It%20carries%20its%20pollen%20on%20the%20underside%20of%20its%20abdomen%20instead%20of%20the%20legs%20like%20a%20honeybee.%20To%20pick%20up%20pollen%20it%20uses%20a%20swishy%20side-to-side%20motion%20sort%20of%20like%20a%20Swiffer%20Sweeper%2C%20so%20it%u2019s%20really%20good%20at%20spreading%20the%20pollen%20around.%20%28It%u2019s%20probably%20a%20great%20way%20to%20scratch%20and%20itch%20too.%29%0A%0ADesigning%20the%20Bee%20Hotel%0ASince%20these%20native%20bees%20are%20all%20wood%20nesters%20I%20decided%20to%20skip%20using%20bricks%20and%20pottery%20like%20other%20insect%20hotels%20and%20use%20only%20wood%20and/or%20reeds%20for%20the%20%u201Crooms%u201D%20in%20the%20hotel.%20Otherwise%2C%20I%20stuck%20pretty%20much%20to%20the%20suggested%20rules%20%26%238212%3B%20at%20least%203%20feet%20from%20the%20ground%2C%209%20to%2012%20inches%20deep%2C%20and%20a%20variety%20of%20woods%20and%20nesting%20cavity%20sizes.%0AFor%20the%20construction%20materials%20I%20didn%u2019t%20want%20to%20buy%20anything%2C%20so%20I%20used%20leftover%20wood%20reclaimed%20from%20some%20other%20projects.%20The%20hotel%20frame%20was%20made%20from%20some%20pressure%20treated%202x4s%20from%20an%20old%20landscaping%20project%20and%20some%201%26%23215%3B10%20pine%20boards%20salvaged%20from%20a%20built%20in%20bookcase%20I%u2019d%20recently%20torn%20out.%20The%20wood%20and%20reed%20%u201Crooms%u201D%20would%20be%20made%20from%20logs%20from%20the%20wood%20pile%20and%20dried%20arundo%2C%20which%20is%20an%20invasive%20cane%20from%20the%20Mediterranean%20that%20grows%20in%20the%20creek%20bottom%20nearby.%0A%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i1.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/02-bee-hotel-sketch.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%3C/a%3EThe%20original%20bee%20hotel%20plans%0AMy%20original%20design%20was%20a%20narrow%20building%2C%206%20feet%20tall%20with%20an%20A-frame%20roof%20like%20I%u2019d%20seen%20in%20the%20German%20article%2C%20but%20it%20turned%20out%20to%20be%20highly%20unstable%2C%20so%20I%20switched%20to%20a%20shed%20roof%20made%20from%20some%20corrugated%20steel%20panel%20that%20hung%20off%20the%20back%20far%20enough%20to%20act%20as%20a%20counter%20balance%20as%20well%20as%20give%20some%20shade%20and%20rain%20cover%20to%20the%20back%20of%20the%20hotel.%20After%20that%2C%20it%20was%20pretty%20much%20just%20a%20matter%20of%20cutting%20the%20wood%20and%20screwing%20and%20gluing%20the%20hotel%20together.%0A%0ABuilding%20the%20Bee%20Hotel%0AFor%20the%20upper%20portion%20of%20the%20hotel%2C%20I%20built%20a%20box%20that%20was%2036-in%20x%2020%BD-in%20x%209%BD-in%20%28basically%20two%20shelf%20boards%20cut%20to%2036%20inches%20and%20placed%20side-by-side%29%20and%20used%20the%20remainder%20of%20my%20shelving%20to%20subdivide%20the%20box%20into%20two%20large%20and%20three%20small%20%u201Crooms%u201D.%0A%20%20%20%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i1.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/03-building-the-box-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%20%20%20%20%3C/a%3E%20%20The%20basic%20bee%20hotel%20box%20made%20from%20old%20shelving%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i1.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/04-adding-rooms-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%20%20%20%20%3C/a%3E%20%20Adding%20the%20room%20dividers%20to%20the%20bee%20hotel%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i2.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/05-adding-legs-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%20%20%20%20%3C/a%3E%20%20Attaching%20the%20legs%20to%20the%20bee%20hotel%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%0AThen%20I%20took%20my%20four%206-foot%20PT%202x4s%20and%20screwed%20them%20on%20to%20the%20box%20to%20make%20the%20legs.%0AFor%20the%20roof%2C%20I%20used%20some%20scrap%202%26%23215%3B4%20to%20create%20the%20frame%20and%20mounted%20a%2036-inch%20piece%20of%20leftover%20corrugated%20steel%20panel%20to%20it.%20Then%20I%20popped%20that%20and%20the%20top%20of%20the%20hotel%20and%20secured%20it.%0AAfter%20I%20had%20the%20roof%20mounted%2C%20I%20attached%20a%20piece%20of%20cedar%20fence%20board%20to%20the%20front%20to%20finish%20off%20the%20upper%20compartments%20and%20painted%20the%20whole%20thing%20with%20some%20barn%20red%20primer.%0A%20%20%20%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i2.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/06-awaiting-roof-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%20%20%20%20%3C/a%3E%20%20Assembled%20and%20awaiting%20the%20roof%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i2.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/07-roof-frame-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%20%20%20%20%3C/a%3E%20%20Roof%20frame%20installed%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i1.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/08-roof-on-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%20%20%20%20%3C/a%3E%20%20Aligning%20the%20roof%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i0.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/09-roof-attached-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%20%20%20%20%3C/a%3E%20%20Corrugated%20steel%20roof%20gets%20added%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i0.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/10-getting-paint-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%20%20%20%20%3C/a%3E%20%20Painting%20the%20hotel%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%0AOnce%20the%20paint%20dried%20I%20carried%20the%20hotel%20down%20to%20the%20lower%20yard%20and%20stood%20it%20up%20in%20an%20area%20that%20I%u2019m%20turning%20into%20a%20%u201Cpoultry-friendly%u201D%20Mediterranean%20garden%20%28which%20is%20more%20difficult%20than%20it%20sounds%29.%0ANow%20that%20it%20was%20stood%20up%2C%20I%20drilled%20%BD-inch%2C5/8-inch%20and%20%BE-inch%20holes%20in%20a%20variety%20of%20wood%20logs%20%u2014%20oak%20for%20the%20critters%20that%20like%20the%20hardwoods%2C%20and%20pine%20and%20agave%20stalk%2C%20for%20those%20that%20like%20burrowing%20in%20the%20soft%20wood.%20Then%20I%20cut%20up%20Arundo%20cane%20for%20the%20tube%20dwellers%2C%20and%20drilled%20some%20redwood%20blocks%20for%20the%20smaller%20bees%20that%20like%20orderly%20condo%20living.%0A%20%20%20%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i1.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/11-installed-in-garden-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%20%20%20%20%3C/a%3E%20%20Hotel%20ready%20to%20have%20%26%238220%3Brooms%26%238221%3B%20installed%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i0.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/12-signwork-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%20%20%20%20%3C/a%3E%20%20Added%20the%20sign%20to%20the%20hotel%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%0AOh%2C%20and%20I%20topped%20it%20all%20off%20with%20the%20sign%20%u201CHotel%20de%20Sage%u201D%20to%20let%20everyone%20know%20it%20was%20open%20for%20business.%0A%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//i0.wp.com/sagesacre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/13-finished-bee-hotel-scaled.jpg%3Fssl%3D1%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3E%3C/a%3EThe%20completed%20Bee%20Hotel%0A%0AOccupying%20the%20Bee%20Hotel%0AI%20built%20the%20bee%20hotel%20in%20spring%20because%20I%20knew%20the%20bees%20wouldn%u2019t%20be%20looking%20for%20nesting%20sites%20until%20late%20summer%20and%20early%20fall.%20Since%20my%20potential%20guests%20are%20all%20fans%20of%20old%20and%20rotting%20wood%2C%20I%20figured%204-6%20months%20would%20ensure%20that%20the%20%u201Cnew%20bee%20hotel%u201D%20smell%20would%20be%20gone%20by%20then.%0AOver%20the%20months%20I%u2019ve%20inspected%20the%20hotel%20now%20and%20again%20to%20see%20who%u2019s%20taken%20up%20residence.%20I%20spotted%20a%20couple%20of%20tunnel%20spiders%20%28love%20those%20reeds%29%2C%20a%20mud%20wasp%2C%20and%20a%20little%20fence%20lizard%2C%20but%20never%20any%20native%20bees.%20From%20my%20reading%2C%20this%20was%20normal.%20Many%20people%20said%20they%20didn%u2019t%20get%20any%20bees%20even%20years%20later%2C%20so%20I%20wasn%u2019t%20too%20surprised%20to%20not%20see%20any%20myself%20%28It%26%238217%3Bs%20not%20like%20there%26%238217%3Bs%20a%20Yelp%20for%20bees%20to%20find%20hotels%20near%20them%29.%0ABut%20then%20yesterday%2C%20I%20went%20down%20to%20the%20hotel%20to%20grab%20a%20couple%20of%20quick%20photos%20for%20this%20post%2C%20when%20I%20spotted%20this.%0AYep%2C%20that%u2019s%20a%20carpenter%20bee%20who%u2019s%20making%20herself%20at%20home%20in%20an%20agave%20log%20%28%BE-inch%20hole%20%26%238211%3B%20they%u2019re%20big%29%21%0ACloser%20inspection%20revealed%20that%20at%20least%20three%20logs%20are%20occupied%20%28as%20evidenced%20by%20the%20sawdust%20being%20kicked%20out%20of%20the%20holes%29%2C%20but%20I%u2019m%20hoping%20by%20the%20time%20fall%20rolls%20around%20a%20lot%20more%20of%20the%20spots%20will%20be%20taken%20as%20well.%20But%20even%20if%20they%20aren%u2019t%2C%20I%u2019m%20still%20really%20happy%20with%20the%20success%20of%20this%20bee%20hotel%20in%20its%20first%20year%20of%20operation.%0AIf%20you%u2019ve%20ever%20thought%20about%20building%20one%20of%20these%20for%20your%20own%20native%20bees%2C%20I%20highly%20recommend%20it.%20There%u2019s%20nothing%20quite%20as%20satisfying%20as%20knowing%20that%20all%20kinds%20of%20nature%20finds%20home%20in%20your%20garden.%0A%0A%20%0A%0A%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//sagesacre.com/2020/08/06/build-a-bee-hotel/%22%20rel%3D%22noreferrer%20nofollow%22%3Esagesacre.com/2020/08/06/build-a-bee-hotel/%3C/a%3E



source https://www.flickr.com/photo.gne?id=50196664417

0 nhận xét:

Đăng nhận xét

Happy New Year !!

Wishing you all a very happy NEW YEAR, dear friends !! Here is an image of sunrise over Andaman sea as taken from Havelock islands in Andam...

My Instagram