Man-made Pollinator Homes?

I've been thinking recently about the struggles our poor pollinating friends have been having recently, and I've been working on making the area around the home a bit more 'bee-friendly' (though happy to make it wasp and hornet happy too). Planting native high-output flowers, preserving wildflower areas and helping the reseeding of them, etc.

But one thing I'm VERY keen on is proving homes or shelters for these critters. A book we received from the Minnesota DNR "Woodworking for Wildlife" (gift, since we had a Common Loon nest raft featured in there) has a "Bumblebee Bungalow". It's a 2 room nest box that has open-faced corrugated cardboard, screened ventilation holes, and vent covers to keep them warm. The nest provides one room for waste materials, the second room is filled with organic cotton batting for nest material. Apparently it works!

I have seen various plasterer/leaf cutter bees and I'm wondering if providing some thick non-lead pipes stuck around the area in safe water-free areas might work for them? They seem to like holes. Same with Mud Dauber wasps, that have proven themselves indispensable in the garden for pest control this year.

Does anyone else have any proven homes or shelters for these valuable critters? I wouldn't even hesitate to suggest a section in BugGuide dedicated to the conservation and assistance to these critters, as well as bug-friendly gardening.

Contributed by Cassie Novak on 3 August, 2009 - 9:41am

Bee houses

My webpage on bee houses was in AOL which doesn't host websites any more so I transferred it to Yahoo, which will stop hosting it pretty soon too. Where will I go next?
Anyway here it is.
There are a few links to sites that give information on how to build bee houses or where to buy them. The contributor, Vespula vulgaris, also knows a lot about bee and wasp nests.
If you go to youtube and search for bee houses you will find quite a few including mine.
2008, 2009 and 2009. Vespula vulgaris also has a few videos there.
Bee houses are a lot of fun when they are active, just like bird houses. I have been teaching some people how to make these houses, also my son in law was thinking of doing a boy scout project.
Update: here are my bee houses

… Beatriz Moisset, 3 August, 2009 - 6:41pm

native bee homes

I have a large perennial garden in the backyard with a lot of native plants. The small native bees like to use the plant stems left over from the fall for spring nesting. In late winter I usually start clearing by chopping up some of the dried plants into 6 to 12 inch sections and drop them into the garden. I do not trim the plants down the ground but leave a 6 to 12 inch section standing. I've often seen small bees entering the ends of the stems where they presumably lay eggs.

… Ilona L., 3 August, 2009 - 1:05pm

Mud daubers

make nests on our house. We don't have to build anything special for them. For some reason, they choose places next to the exterior doors.

… R. Berg, 3 August, 2009 - 11:34am

Bee house

Bug Guide editor Beatriz Moisset had a link to a webpage on how to build bee houses. I'm not sure if it was her site, but the link I have doesn't work. Hopefully she will chime in.

I recently planted a small single stem tree in my back yard with a very thorny trunk which sprouts a large head of tiny white flowers and man, I've never seen so many bees, wasps and flies attracted to a plant before. I'm trying to identify it at this time.

… Scott Justis, 3 August, 2009 - 9:56am

Linden Bloom here...

Our very numerous Linden/Basswood trees are in full bloom right now. There is literally a droning hum that may drown speaking! I cannot imagine a time where these critters may be 'happier' than now.

Could you perhaps post a picture of the plant? I may be able to identify it for you!

… Cassie Novak, 3 August, 2009 - 10:00am

Here's ...

a couple of quick shots:

In the Autumn, it drops its limbs and leaves a tall thorny stalk.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was a non native species.

… Scott Justis, 3 August, 2009 - 10:28am

Got it!

Devil's Walking Stick, Aralia spinosa. It is native! I didn't see a threat-level on it.

http://www.plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ARSP2

… Cassie Novak, 3 August, 2009 - 11:04am

Thank You...

so much! That is an aptly named plant, If you've ever accidentally walked into one you'll know it :^0 It seems to spread by underground roots (I could be wrong about that) and hopefully, I'll have more in the coming years.

… Scott Justis, 3 August, 2009 - 11:10am

If you're worried...

If you're worried about spreading, you can always just 'trim' the roots outside of a 4 foot radius around the tree. It'll keep the spreading to a minimum, and will force the roots to grow down more and make a sturdier plant.

I would definitely keep it though. Any help is good help!

… Cassie Novak, 3 August, 2009 - 11:22am

I'm Trying...

to grow a 'bug friendly' area in my back yard and this plant is doing well. I will take your advice on the spread control and keep it to just a few of these plants. I would like to have a mixture of native plants back there eventually.

… Scott Justis, 3 August, 2009 - 12:27pm

"Trap-nesting"

What you refer to was once called "trap-nesting," a means for research scientists to attract solitary bees and wasps to nest where they can be observed continually, and the nest itself opened up to see what food was being provided for the larval offspring. Many parasite records have been obtained in this way as well.

Artificial nests have been constructed of all kinds of things, from bundles of bamboo nodes, dry sumac stems (the pith is soft and the bees or wasps can tunnel through it), berry canes, blocks of wood with holes of various diameters drilled into them, drinking straws (paper) bundled together....You get the idea. A "rain roof" is a good addition to keep the materials dry. Tack it under an eave on your house, shed, barn, whatever, or any tree or pole, at least three feet off the ground, and south-facing(?). Websites like Xerces.org can offer tips or links to other web pages with more information. Good luck!

… Eric R. Eaton, 3 August, 2009 - 9:49am

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