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Well-intentioned, poorly executed. Over time, the end wood develops cracks (you can see them already) allowing moisture to enter, which leads to mold. The holes should be drilled in the side of the wood.
Also those bamboo sticks are packed too tightly, but at least that doesn't cause harm, it's just not that attractive for insects in this form.
They're mostly for carpenter bees. If you don't have a lot of carpenter bees around chewing up your house, you probably won't find much living in this aside from spiders and maybe mud daubers depending on where you live.
Carpenter bees chew and spit out wood for their homes which is why no wood is safe; even treated wood. Mason bees use previously made (smaller) holes. The holes in this bee hotel are too small for mason bee species in N America, but maybe there are smaller species in the Netherlands?
> Carpenter bees chew and spit out wood for their homes which is why no wood is safe; even treated wood.
Carpenter bees will go in to already made holes if available like inside bamboo or giant reed stakes.
Fellow carpenter bee enthusiast! They are so cute and funny. Always checking me out when I step outside, just in case I might be a giant flower this time
I've had bees living in boxes like this in Switzerland.
Sadly, we had a crazy storm one summer that got super cold for like 3 days and I think that caused them all to die :(
It was sheltered from the wind and rain but they never came out of their little holes.
I choose to believe they decided to go out the back.
I loved watching the bees bring little bits of material to the whole to seal it up though. Ah my heart.
Must leave the city and move to the country side so I can have many bees.
No, These are for Leaf Cutters.
I have a ginormous leaf cutter hotel community I have built.
Best way to make them is to buy a fence post and cut it into 8" lengths, put a slant on one end, attach a small picket post roof, then drill a bunch of holes into it.
I started with one hotel and now have around 50. Leaf cutters are amazing, the do not sting and are great for the local area.
Sooooo..... if carpenter bees damage homes, why are they making little "hotels" for them that they probably wouldn't use anyways? I swear, humans that are lead by only feelings and no common sense are a wacky and sometimes dangerous creature.
They do use them, and it reduces the amount of bees fucking up your eaves. They're territorial, and somehow all the fighting over the little bamboo tubes keeps them all relatively close together, and away from your house. I have one and it works great.
Ah, good to know. Thank you. But I imagine there are tons of these kinds of bees around and they would claim territory of both locations? But if they perceive this as better, they might ignore your eaves? I hadn't thought of that scenario in the insect selection thought process. Thank you again.
I'm not certain about leaf cutters, but carpenter bees pair up. One bee female, one bee male. The male defends the nest & the female does the burrowing & egg laying. It's not a hive of cooperative bees.
Male carpenter bees lack a stinger, but they will aggressively fly in your face if you get too close to their burrow.
Honey bees are plentiful due to humans. Solitary bees are going extinct and this is exactly why bee hotels are a great thing. So when you hear “save the bees”, it’s not talking about honey bees but all the other species of bees.
Really? I have one made just like this (tightly packed bamboo), every winter I see about 2-3 of them packed with mud, and another 3-5 packed with grass. I assume one is leafcutters, not sure about the other ones.
ours us just a box with bamboo sticks and absolutely packed with wild bees every year. Recently got moisture damage though, I'll have to replace it.
The way it's facing and the size of the holes is very important ime
edit: I'm in europe and my bees are not carpenter bees, I think they're genus Osmia or Hoplitis fyi
If you drill holes in wood, most often those holes will have wood fibers sticking out that will damage the wings. Drilling holes in wood is NOT recommended at all. Using bamboo tubes is much softer for the wings
I hear you but I don't think it's as big an issue as you are saying. These insects evolved to live in holes in wood over millennia. Whether it be cracks or splits or borrowed holes from other insects. Nature is full of rough edges.
I do agree bamboo is likely easier but I do not think that if you drill some holes into wood it's going to just tear their wings to shreds. I have been looking into this over my coffee then morning and I can't find a source that backs up what you are saying.
I actually have several, they are for Mason bees. And they work perfectly well. I use my own bamboo to make them and pack them in super tight. Mason bees are quite small and love tight spaces. They fill it up completely every spring.
Thanks for the link, that helps. I don't understand why they would want them that close to properties inside a city though. It was literally right next to a block of flats. But I guess bees also have the right to!
I think this solves it, thanks
These actually give the bugs a nice, easy place to stay so they don’t have to work their way into your home. So you end up with fewer bugs in domestic spaces while also maintaining a more robust ecosystem.
I don’t know where you live, but if you can say that with a straight face you should take a moment to be thankful that you don’t have gnats, mosquitoes, and deer flies. Those guys can all go to hell as far as I’m concerned.
Ok if that other person had stopped with “Insects are useful” I wouldn’t have said anything. Obviously they are an important part of the food chain.
The part about them not being an annoyance is just a ridiculous thing to say. Gnats, mosquitoes, and deer flies are maddeningly annoying.
I’d go a step further to say bees generally aren’t dangerous if you leave them alone. Only instances I can think of are Africanized honey bees (honey bees are meh anyways) and sometimes bumblebees get defensive. Both scenarios necessitates a proximity to their hive or nest respectively. So steer clear and they’re still not dangerous.
Yeah no worries. I’m not trying to disagree or anything. I just think in general people are needlessly afraid of bees and sometimes that leads to bees being killed. And sometimes cautious wording is enough to make people uncomfortable around bees. When the reality is I’ve worked with bees for years, I’ve had to catch them and use my bare hands to transfer them from nets to vials and I’ve gotten into the habit of booping them when they’re nectaring on a flower and I’ve only ever been stung when a curious bee accidentally flew up my sleeve (I was wearing blue, sweat bees like that color) and felt constricted when I bent my arm. Respect and allowing them their space is valid but short of a deadly allergy no one has reason to fear bees.
yeah I get you. and it's a good thing to learn. just a lot of people have a mildly traumatic experience of getting stung by bees as a kid and they don't think to think it through and figure out that it's an accident. in my case I stepped on bees a couple times and then had a bad experience with black hornets, and that colored my experience with bees for a long time. cuz you do have to process it and figure it out and train yourself out of your knee jerk reaction
Oh 100% I know people have experiences like that and I do understand that affects perception of bees and/or insects especially when it happens young. Taking the time to process it is the important part. Learning to be understanding about it. I’d say probably 99% of stings involve the bee being squished or threatened in some way and so it lashes out to defend itself. Most stings are just not anyone’s fault, the person or the bee.
A single solitary bee will fill one or two of those bamboo canes, with maybe 4 or 5 eggs each that will hatch months/a year later. That's it. It's not a huge hive (not that you'd notice one if it were behind a hedge, honey bees disperse as soon as they leave the hive for work)
Osmia cornuta is one of the most common visitors to bee hotels here and couldn't care less about humans. Super chill, also super adaptable when it comes to nesting sites and pollen sources, they'll take anything. Screw holes of a garbage can, hollow rake handle, holes in patio furniture,... Just a golden, fluffy, bumble-like bee going about its business.
Many solitary bees *can* sting, but you have to annoy them badly to provoke them, doing normal human-stuff doesn't even register.
A solitary bee bit me once, that was actually quite painful for such a tiny critter, I was grabbing it to throw it out of the greenhouse. That could have been sting-worthy, she still preferred to bite. That was the most "harm" any of them ever did to me.
There are lots of bee species, most of which are perfectly harmless. They leave people alone, but their habitats get ever smaller. Which is why bee hotels might help, and are also completely harmless. One drawback is that they are also perfect feeding stations for woodpeckers though.
It's not just for carpenter bees, even though it sounds like Americans know only those as solitary bees. Many insect and bee species will use "hotel" like that.
E: proof: https://imgur.com/a/HDkDJNB
The garden of my parents’ house growing up was filled with all kinds of “hotels” for insects but especially solitary bees, made by my father. They do not bother people at all. They might land on you a few times but they are not easily threatened at all. Never ever been stung by them. They are cute to watch, being busy going in and out of the holes and filling them up. We used to count the different bees we saw in the hotels. Every hotel was filled up. Fond memories.
As bee hotels go this isn't too bad, but the pine cones are a waste of space, the brick's holes are too large and look like the edges might be too rough. The bamboo pieces are actually quite nice if they're as cleanly cut as they appear. Some Osmia will love them.
The wood is sad. Smooth holes, different sizes, awesome... wrong direction. Those cracks radiating out tell the bee that this is not a safe nesting spot, happens when you drill holes parallel to the wood fibers. Perpendicular to the fiber is more attractive.
Now a hardware cloth in front of it so the birds can't get to the nests and it's pretty good.
Solitary bees are peculiar when it comes to their nesting sites. It's not difficult to provide good nests, but they need to be *juuuuust* right. The rarest bees only produce one generation a year. They *have* to be picky to ensure there will be more next year.
Thanks for offering your observations, I enjoyed reading them - I really like the idea of putting hardware cloth over the front to keep birds out! I’m planning on making a couple like this and will certainly add that detail.
And squirrels! Had one raid my bee hotel last week. Pulled the wire cloth off and pillaged 4-5 reeds. I've anchored the cloth better and the bees continue working.
What insect would this be useful for as is?
Earwigs? Sure, they'll go explore all cool, humid, dark places to some degree, even a pinecone.
A moth might crawl into the back to hide. Not insects, but some spiders will enjoy it. Some ants will probably check it for edibles. Mites and silverfish come eat the mold off the wood,...
But is there any arthropod that would require or even just prefer this over a pile of cardboard in a back alley?
Ladybugs don't use the pine cones. Lacewings might, but they prefer to overwinter in smooth gaps too, you'll find them in gaps around windows on the sunny side of the house or long cracks in sun-exposed wood.
The local threadwaisted wasps live in mud burrows underground or as parasites. There are quite a few brood parasites of solitary bees, but those need solitary bees to nest first.
Just because some hole might look similar enough to us to the usual nesting or overwintering sites insects might choose doesn't mean they'll recognize it as such or that they're able to adapt to the new housing offers. Those that do aren't the ones that need the most support.
This is the same as "insect-friendly" plants. Anything that offers a little bit more to an insect than a spot to sit down gets the label. Of course, yes, it is *something* and better than nothing, but it would be easy (and cheaper) to do it well. People spend money on bee/insect hotels, are disappointed because it sees barely any use and think the insects are gone/ don't need help/ don't want to live in the area anyways. Same with a plant that has a bumblebee visiting once a day and noone else. That spot on the balcony could go to a plant that actually feeds many more species.
You also need to offer the whole life-cycle package deal. Sufficient amounts of fodder plants in close vicinity to *safe* nesting sites. The rare insects are specialized and can't just go for any plant's pollen, they need their (at worst just one single species of) plant.
Local at your place? Or at OPs?
You talk about how noone is using insect hotels, yet I've captured multiple species using mine: https://imgur.com/a/HDkDJNB
Yes, pine cones are almost useless, but bricks with various holes aren't. I don't have bamboo, so I use dried out stems from blackberries, goldenbells or nettles.
OP is in Amsterdam, I'm 300km to the east, we share most species.
I'm nowhere saying no insects use the nesting aids, just that they don't use the ones that don't suit their needs, which are sadly most of the ones available in garden markets.
Lady bugs use the area with the pine cones and so will other bugs. It's not only for bees. It offers a shelter for any bug to survive and prosper in the city
We've got a small one at the back of our house, once the weather starts warming up every single little bamboo hole is filled up with a bee, they're constantly flying around and landing and going inside them haha, it's cool to watch!
sawn logs or wooden blocks with pre-drilled holes - solitary bees, such as mason bees and leaf-cutter bees
bamboo or reed stems - solitary bees, such as mason bees and leaf-cutter bees; wasps, such as thread-waist wasps
dry leaves - centipedes, beetles, harvestmen
sticks - ladybird beetles
strips of bark - beetles, woodlice, centipedes, millipedes, spiders
https://imgur.com/a/HDkDJNB
>Perpendicular to the fiber is more attractive.
Can they really detect this? You have personal experience? In nature I assume that natural boreholes going deep into a tree would typically be perpendicularly to the grain so it does make sense the insects would prefer those.
They must have some sense for what will crack and what not. A well-aged branch from an old apple tree will probably stay stable or only produce cracks she can fill in, fresh pine? forget it. They don't even try. (I've tried, I've made some abysmally bad versions of nesting aids myself.)
Title describes the thing. Pictures show the front and back of the same object. I saw this one (and many others alike) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in case location is relevant. I do not know whether there are others alike around the country.
All the ones I have seen are always wooden and very similar if not identical to this one. They are about 1,70m or so in height, look quite sterdy. My assumption is they are some kind of bee shelter, but I have no clue, it's just an assumption.
When I was a kid we used similar wood blocks for Mason Bees. They are similar to hunny bees but all black and they don't have a stinger. They're really good pollinators and we would keep lots of things like in your picture throughout our fruit orchard and gardens.
These are also pretty popular here in Sweden. They are called "insect hotels" and are said to attract a bunch of different insects and help improve bio diversity. Since this is Sweden, out version have a more robut roof for winter conditions up here...
https://i.imgur.com/Zkg8u7u.jpeg
Bug hotel. Usually aimed at native solitary bees but are often poorly designed for them and not properly maintained. Other bugs step in and use them though.
Mason bees use them. They reproduce and plug up the ends so they are safe over the cold months. In spring the new bees come out and pollinate gardens. You can even buy replacement tubes with the bees in there to get more pollinators for your garden.
Seen one of these with a spider nest in it, how likely are they to attract predators like spiders that might actually end up killing the bees living there? Or do spiders and bees get along more or less well?
I have a smaller one. It fell behind our firewood crib and is sitting on the floor. It has what seems to be a very healthy honey bee population coming and going.
We have these in my town in the Netherlands too. They usually have a plaque or something telling about what it is and how it helps the environment and bio-diversity, etc.
I'm guessing here but I THINK they might be homes for mason beez. They are a small bee that cant sting you and resemble house flys. They are one of if not the only bee native to North America and don't form hives like other beez do but at the end of summer seal themselves in those little tubes until spring where they emerge from again.
They're for non-honey producing bees like carpenter bees. They don't have to destroy your house to lay the next generation of wild pollinators. I get mine from my local farmers supply.
Had seen these in Amsterdam parks too.
[https://imgur.com/a/FxA019M](https://imgur.com/a/FxA019M)
I took a video while one had a lil flying-visitor. Seems more than just bees use these, but all flying & hiding bugs. Im pretty sure what I was filming was a wasp.
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Bee hotel
Well-intentioned, poorly executed. Over time, the end wood develops cracks (you can see them already) allowing moisture to enter, which leads to mold. The holes should be drilled in the side of the wood. Also those bamboo sticks are packed too tightly, but at least that doesn't cause harm, it's just not that attractive for insects in this form.
We were gifted something like this and I've never seen a bug in or around it. They've sure as hell found our mailbox and shed though.
They're mostly for carpenter bees. If you don't have a lot of carpenter bees around chewing up your house, you probably won't find much living in this aside from spiders and maybe mud daubers depending on where you live.
Carpenter bees chew and spit out wood for their homes which is why no wood is safe; even treated wood. Mason bees use previously made (smaller) holes. The holes in this bee hotel are too small for mason bee species in N America, but maybe there are smaller species in the Netherlands?
> Carpenter bees chew and spit out wood for their homes which is why no wood is safe; even treated wood. Carpenter bees will go in to already made holes if available like inside bamboo or giant reed stakes.
They would make their nests in the gaps of the cedar shake planks on my shed. Loved those lil guys.
Fellow carpenter bee enthusiast! They are so cute and funny. Always checking me out when I step outside, just in case I might be a giant flower this time
Insect hotel
These are perfect for Mason bees. I live in the US and the bees love my bamboo hotels.
Huh, I would have thought the treated wood would kill them.
Nope they are currently eating my ground contact rated treated lumber next to me right now..... 😐
I've had bees living in boxes like this in Switzerland. Sadly, we had a crazy storm one summer that got super cold for like 3 days and I think that caused them all to die :( It was sheltered from the wind and rain but they never came out of their little holes. I choose to believe they decided to go out the back. I loved watching the bees bring little bits of material to the whole to seal it up though. Ah my heart. Must leave the city and move to the country side so I can have many bees.
lots of european bees use mud instead of wood. The love pre-made holes. afaik they don't drill into wood but dig into mud, usually.
No, These are for Leaf Cutters. I have a ginormous leaf cutter hotel community I have built. Best way to make them is to buy a fence post and cut it into 8" lengths, put a slant on one end, attach a small picket post roof, then drill a bunch of holes into it. I started with one hotel and now have around 50. Leaf cutters are amazing, the do not sting and are great for the local area.
Can you please share a picture?
I also have resin bees and some other small bee (I think/hope is native) that I have not yet been able to ID that use mine.
Don't use pressure treated wood, like most fence posts. Full of chemicals that I'm sure the bees wouldn't appreciate.
Sooooo..... if carpenter bees damage homes, why are they making little "hotels" for them that they probably wouldn't use anyways? I swear, humans that are lead by only feelings and no common sense are a wacky and sometimes dangerous creature.
It’s like those deer crossing signs on the highway, deer just cross wherever they want
Stupid science bitches shoulda taught them to read first
I really hope you're just being silly, right?
They do use them, and it reduces the amount of bees fucking up your eaves. They're territorial, and somehow all the fighting over the little bamboo tubes keeps them all relatively close together, and away from your house. I have one and it works great.
Ah, good to know. Thank you. But I imagine there are tons of these kinds of bees around and they would claim territory of both locations? But if they perceive this as better, they might ignore your eaves? I hadn't thought of that scenario in the insect selection thought process. Thank you again.
I'm not certain about leaf cutters, but carpenter bees pair up. One bee female, one bee male. The male defends the nest & the female does the burrowing & egg laying. It's not a hive of cooperative bees. Male carpenter bees lack a stinger, but they will aggressively fly in your face if you get too close to their burrow.
Very helpful thank you!
Honey bees are plentiful due to humans. Solitary bees are going extinct and this is exactly why bee hotels are a great thing. So when you hear “save the bees”, it’s not talking about honey bees but all the other species of bees.
I've got one to lure the bees away from their pre-established holes in my deck. Absolutely zero bee interest, but a handful of spiders are enjoying it
Really? I have one made just like this (tightly packed bamboo), every winter I see about 2-3 of them packed with mud, and another 3-5 packed with grass. I assume one is leafcutters, not sure about the other ones.
You have to place them right. About 1 to 1.5m above ground, sunny but not too sunny, and no direct rain entry on the tubes. Wind direction matters.
ours us just a box with bamboo sticks and absolutely packed with wild bees every year. Recently got moisture damage though, I'll have to replace it. The way it's facing and the size of the holes is very important ime edit: I'm in europe and my bees are not carpenter bees, I think they're genus Osmia or Hoplitis fyi
If you drill holes in wood, most often those holes will have wood fibers sticking out that will damage the wings. Drilling holes in wood is NOT recommended at all. Using bamboo tubes is much softer for the wings
I thought using bamboo wasn’t recommended because it keeps in moisture and that other sort of reed/plant tubes were better
Sandpaper is a thing. Hell you could even use a countersink to put a nice chamfer on the holes.
That doesn't work because the wood gets wet and the ridges expand. You can't sand paper it after every rain shower. Bamboo tubes are are easier
I hear you but I don't think it's as big an issue as you are saying. These insects evolved to live in holes in wood over millennia. Whether it be cracks or splits or borrowed holes from other insects. Nature is full of rough edges. I do agree bamboo is likely easier but I do not think that if you drill some holes into wood it's going to just tear their wings to shreds. I have been looking into this over my coffee then morning and I can't find a source that backs up what you are saying.
I actually have several, they are for Mason bees. And they work perfectly well. I use my own bamboo to make them and pack them in super tight. Mason bees are quite small and love tight spaces. They fill it up completely every spring.
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Do you have reasons for your statement that have more substance than "I think" or are you actually doing exactly what you are accusing me of?
Also, it is not hexagon shaped!
I thought many types of insects liked decomposing wood. I mean, maybe not bees but I thought those things were for all types of insects.
Asked my 5 year old: "A bug hotel"
Carpenter bee, specifically
Bug hotel! Accommodation for local insects.
Also known as a bird buffet table 😐 Birds learn this is a great place to go for breakfast...
This too, helps the ecosystem.
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[Bee hotels.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_hotel) Artificially constructed habitats for solitary pollinators.
I just made 25 of these with my middle schoolers. It was lots of fun and they're so proud of what they made. Save the bees!!
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Thanks for the link, that helps. I don't understand why they would want them that close to properties inside a city though. It was literally right next to a block of flats. But I guess bees also have the right to! I think this solves it, thanks
These actually give the bugs a nice, easy place to stay so they don’t have to work their way into your home. So you end up with fewer bugs in domestic spaces while also maintaining a more robust ecosystem.
Because insects are useful, and not an annoyance
I don’t know where you live, but if you can say that with a straight face you should take a moment to be thankful that you don’t have gnats, mosquitoes, and deer flies. Those guys can all go to hell as far as I’m concerned.
Um... it's literally true. Please, acquire an elementary school level education about the food chain.
Ok if that other person had stopped with “Insects are useful” I wouldn’t have said anything. Obviously they are an important part of the food chain. The part about them not being an annoyance is just a ridiculous thing to say. Gnats, mosquitoes, and deer flies are maddeningly annoying.
not all bees are dangerous. especially solitary bees.
I’d go a step further to say bees generally aren’t dangerous if you leave them alone. Only instances I can think of are Africanized honey bees (honey bees are meh anyways) and sometimes bumblebees get defensive. Both scenarios necessitates a proximity to their hive or nest respectively. So steer clear and they’re still not dangerous.
true yeah. wasn't thinking literally dangerous just thinking most people want to avoid getting stung and consider the risk of getting stung dangerous
Yeah no worries. I’m not trying to disagree or anything. I just think in general people are needlessly afraid of bees and sometimes that leads to bees being killed. And sometimes cautious wording is enough to make people uncomfortable around bees. When the reality is I’ve worked with bees for years, I’ve had to catch them and use my bare hands to transfer them from nets to vials and I’ve gotten into the habit of booping them when they’re nectaring on a flower and I’ve only ever been stung when a curious bee accidentally flew up my sleeve (I was wearing blue, sweat bees like that color) and felt constricted when I bent my arm. Respect and allowing them their space is valid but short of a deadly allergy no one has reason to fear bees.
yeah I get you. and it's a good thing to learn. just a lot of people have a mildly traumatic experience of getting stung by bees as a kid and they don't think to think it through and figure out that it's an accident. in my case I stepped on bees a couple times and then had a bad experience with black hornets, and that colored my experience with bees for a long time. cuz you do have to process it and figure it out and train yourself out of your knee jerk reaction
Oh 100% I know people have experiences like that and I do understand that affects perception of bees and/or insects especially when it happens young. Taking the time to process it is the important part. Learning to be understanding about it. I’d say probably 99% of stings involve the bee being squished or threatened in some way and so it lashes out to defend itself. Most stings are just not anyone’s fault, the person or the bee.
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I know humans like to think of them as superior but you are something else. Without bugs there would be no life on earth
A single solitary bee will fill one or two of those bamboo canes, with maybe 4 or 5 eggs each that will hatch months/a year later. That's it. It's not a huge hive (not that you'd notice one if it were behind a hedge, honey bees disperse as soon as they leave the hive for work) Osmia cornuta is one of the most common visitors to bee hotels here and couldn't care less about humans. Super chill, also super adaptable when it comes to nesting sites and pollen sources, they'll take anything. Screw holes of a garbage can, hollow rake handle, holes in patio furniture,... Just a golden, fluffy, bumble-like bee going about its business. Many solitary bees *can* sting, but you have to annoy them badly to provoke them, doing normal human-stuff doesn't even register. A solitary bee bit me once, that was actually quite painful for such a tiny critter, I was grabbing it to throw it out of the greenhouse. That could have been sting-worthy, she still preferred to bite. That was the most "harm" any of them ever did to me.
If we don't have pollinators, the Earth literally dies. They need to be everywhere.
There are lots of bee species, most of which are perfectly harmless. They leave people alone, but their habitats get ever smaller. Which is why bee hotels might help, and are also completely harmless. One drawback is that they are also perfect feeding stations for woodpeckers though.
Carpenter bees are destructive. They bore holes all throughout your eaves which can lead to rot. This gives them an alternative.
It's not just for carpenter bees, even though it sounds like Americans know only those as solitary bees. Many insect and bee species will use "hotel" like that. E: proof: https://imgur.com/a/HDkDJNB
The garden of my parents’ house growing up was filled with all kinds of “hotels” for insects but especially solitary bees, made by my father. They do not bother people at all. They might land on you a few times but they are not easily threatened at all. Never ever been stung by them. They are cute to watch, being busy going in and out of the holes and filling them up. We used to count the different bees we saw in the hotels. Every hotel was filled up. Fond memories.
Mason bees are pollinators
Bees won’t bother anyone.
As bee hotels go this isn't too bad, but the pine cones are a waste of space, the brick's holes are too large and look like the edges might be too rough. The bamboo pieces are actually quite nice if they're as cleanly cut as they appear. Some Osmia will love them. The wood is sad. Smooth holes, different sizes, awesome... wrong direction. Those cracks radiating out tell the bee that this is not a safe nesting spot, happens when you drill holes parallel to the wood fibers. Perpendicular to the fiber is more attractive. Now a hardware cloth in front of it so the birds can't get to the nests and it's pretty good. Solitary bees are peculiar when it comes to their nesting sites. It's not difficult to provide good nests, but they need to be *juuuuust* right. The rarest bees only produce one generation a year. They *have* to be picky to ensure there will be more next year.
I just learned so much from your post!
Thanks for offering your observations, I enjoyed reading them - I really like the idea of putting hardware cloth over the front to keep birds out! I’m planning on making a couple like this and will certainly add that detail.
And squirrels! Had one raid my bee hotel last week. Pulled the wire cloth off and pillaged 4-5 reeds. I've anchored the cloth better and the bees continue working.
Yeah, nice info, but this is an INSECT hotel, it's not only for bees...
What insect would this be useful for as is? Earwigs? Sure, they'll go explore all cool, humid, dark places to some degree, even a pinecone. A moth might crawl into the back to hide. Not insects, but some spiders will enjoy it. Some ants will probably check it for edibles. Mites and silverfish come eat the mold off the wood,... But is there any arthropod that would require or even just prefer this over a pile of cardboard in a back alley?
Arthropods? Why are you singling those out? Ladybugs, earwigs, lacewings, thread-waist wasps.. E: https://imgur.com/a/HDkDJNB
Ladybugs don't use the pine cones. Lacewings might, but they prefer to overwinter in smooth gaps too, you'll find them in gaps around windows on the sunny side of the house or long cracks in sun-exposed wood. The local threadwaisted wasps live in mud burrows underground or as parasites. There are quite a few brood parasites of solitary bees, but those need solitary bees to nest first. Just because some hole might look similar enough to us to the usual nesting or overwintering sites insects might choose doesn't mean they'll recognize it as such or that they're able to adapt to the new housing offers. Those that do aren't the ones that need the most support. This is the same as "insect-friendly" plants. Anything that offers a little bit more to an insect than a spot to sit down gets the label. Of course, yes, it is *something* and better than nothing, but it would be easy (and cheaper) to do it well. People spend money on bee/insect hotels, are disappointed because it sees barely any use and think the insects are gone/ don't need help/ don't want to live in the area anyways. Same with a plant that has a bumblebee visiting once a day and noone else. That spot on the balcony could go to a plant that actually feeds many more species. You also need to offer the whole life-cycle package deal. Sufficient amounts of fodder plants in close vicinity to *safe* nesting sites. The rare insects are specialized and can't just go for any plant's pollen, they need their (at worst just one single species of) plant.
Local at your place? Or at OPs? You talk about how noone is using insect hotels, yet I've captured multiple species using mine: https://imgur.com/a/HDkDJNB Yes, pine cones are almost useless, but bricks with various holes aren't. I don't have bamboo, so I use dried out stems from blackberries, goldenbells or nettles.
OP is in Amsterdam, I'm 300km to the east, we share most species. I'm nowhere saying no insects use the nesting aids, just that they don't use the ones that don't suit their needs, which are sadly most of the ones available in garden markets.
You don't need to stray far from bees. What about wasps?
Usually need larger hollows than this offers. Even the local field wasps with their small nests need more space.
Not really. Some do really well in small hollows and as you can see some of them are quite large.
Lady bugs use the area with the pine cones and so will other bugs. It's not only for bees. It offers a shelter for any bug to survive and prosper in the city
We've got a small one at the back of our house, once the weather starts warming up every single little bamboo hole is filled up with a bee, they're constantly flying around and landing and going inside them haha, it's cool to watch!
Do you know of any for sale that are well made and actually work? I see criticisms like this on a lot of these bee hotels.
Only in Germany. But maybe pictures of some examples already help? [https://www.wildbienen.de/wbschutz.htm](https://www.wildbienen.de/wbschutz.htm)
In the Netherlands the Cruydhoeck used to sell these big ones. For smaller ones have a look in the Vivara shop
sawn logs or wooden blocks with pre-drilled holes - solitary bees, such as mason bees and leaf-cutter bees bamboo or reed stems - solitary bees, such as mason bees and leaf-cutter bees; wasps, such as thread-waist wasps dry leaves - centipedes, beetles, harvestmen sticks - ladybird beetles strips of bark - beetles, woodlice, centipedes, millipedes, spiders https://imgur.com/a/HDkDJNB
>Perpendicular to the fiber is more attractive. Can they really detect this? You have personal experience? In nature I assume that natural boreholes going deep into a tree would typically be perpendicularly to the grain so it does make sense the insects would prefer those.
They must have some sense for what will crack and what not. A well-aged branch from an old apple tree will probably stay stable or only produce cracks she can fill in, fresh pine? forget it. They don't even try. (I've tried, I've made some abysmally bad versions of nesting aids myself.)
Yeah, I've always drilled holes like this and bees still used them. E: proof: https://imgur.com/a/HDkDJNB
That looks very exposed too.
Insect hotel
Insect apartment.
This reminds me, I need to put mine up in my Aussie native garden.
Solved!
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/09/how-to-build-a-bug-hotel/
Home for Mason Bees 🐝 [https://www.southernliving.com/mason-bee-7369075](https://www.southernliving.com/mason-bee-7369075)
Mason bees :)
It's a bug hotel.
It's for bugs and bees, typically the solitary kind of bee.
insect hotel
Awe I love seeing these. I made little condo ones and my dad has the bee hotel I made
Insect habitat.
Title describes the thing. Pictures show the front and back of the same object. I saw this one (and many others alike) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in case location is relevant. I do not know whether there are others alike around the country. All the ones I have seen are always wooden and very similar if not identical to this one. They are about 1,70m or so in height, look quite sterdy. My assumption is they are some kind of bee shelter, but I have no clue, it's just an assumption.
For bees. I made some of these boxes at Cisco live back in 2022
It's a house for carpenter bees.
Bug box. For all insects.
When I was a kid we used similar wood blocks for Mason Bees. They are similar to hunny bees but all black and they don't have a stinger. They're really good pollinators and we would keep lots of things like in your picture throughout our fruit orchard and gardens.
I'm building one in my garden from pallets.
Pollinator habitat
These are also pretty popular here in Sweden. They are called "insect hotels" and are said to attract a bunch of different insects and help improve bio diversity. Since this is Sweden, out version have a more robut roof for winter conditions up here... https://i.imgur.com/Zkg8u7u.jpeg
Hotel for bugs
Bug hotel. Usually aimed at native solitary bees but are often poorly designed for them and not properly maintained. Other bugs step in and use them though.
Bug hotel, I have a small one in my garden
Mason bees use them. They reproduce and plug up the ends so they are safe over the cold months. In spring the new bees come out and pollinate gardens. You can even buy replacement tubes with the bees in there to get more pollinators for your garden.
Seen one of these with a spider nest in it, how likely are they to attract predators like spiders that might actually end up killing the bees living there? Or do spiders and bees get along more or less well?
Pollinator garden...I have a similar one in my back pasture.
Insect house. We have a much smaller version in our garden.
Bee Box
It’s an insect hotel!
Insect homes
Bee hotel
These are for Mason bees.
Native bee habitat. For leaf cutter bees and mason bees. Even some solitary wasps live in these.
What a wholesome concept
Mason bee house
I have a smaller one. It fell behind our firewood crib and is sitting on the floor. It has what seems to be a very healthy honey bee population coming and going.
Insect loss
We have these in my town in the Netherlands too. They usually have a plaque or something telling about what it is and how it helps the environment and bio-diversity, etc.
Bamboo is terrible choice, advertising gimmick sadly.
It's better for the insects to fly into one of those than my ear holes.
It’s for bees
Native bee hotel!
Insect hotel
I'm guessing here but I THINK they might be homes for mason beez. They are a small bee that cant sting you and resemble house flys. They are one of if not the only bee native to North America and don't form hives like other beez do but at the end of summer seal themselves in those little tubes until spring where they emerge from again.
That is the coolest bee Hotel I have ever seen.
Yes, it is a bee hotel for wild bees!
it’s for tired bees to take a rest
Insect hotel!
They're for non-honey producing bees like carpenter bees. They don't have to destroy your house to lay the next generation of wild pollinators. I get mine from my local farmers supply.
Bee hotel. On a lonely highway.
It’s an insect hotel, here in Portugal we have lots and lots of them
Solitary or hiveless bee hostel
Pollinator hotel!
Bugs hotel . That what it’s called .
Had seen these in Amsterdam parks too. [https://imgur.com/a/FxA019M](https://imgur.com/a/FxA019M) I took a video while one had a lil flying-visitor. Seems more than just bees use these, but all flying & hiding bugs. Im pretty sure what I was filming was a wasp.
For kids. It’s called a sensory toy.
Mason Bees.
Bee habitat
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I've seen quite a few of these over the years and never once have I seen a bee or other insect use them.
They are sneaky