Bee Nests

15 years ago

Yesterday I received a catalog from High Country Gardens. On the back page they have a kind of bee house for sale. Link below.

I was wondering if anyone has tried this or something similar and what/if any need bees really have for help from the humans for this kind of thing. I'd go for if it I thought it was truly filling a need for the bees.

Thank you.

Kate

Here is a link that might be useful: Bee Nest at High Country Gardens

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

len511
15 years ago
looks a little small for a beehive, i don't think a swarm would ever survive the winter in that. bees will swarm and find their own place to make a new hive. I would think all that would attract might be wasps or some other undesirables. Maybe leafcutter bees,lol.
karl_bapst_rosenut
15 years ago
Better check with the local authorities first. You may need a permit to keep bee hives in your area unless you live in an area zoned for agriculture.
Related Discussions
Should I get rid of bumble bee nest? How?
Q
Comments (16)
They are definitely bumble bees. I'm just not completely sure what type. For a while, I thought they were Golden Northern Bumble Bee. Now that I've been watching them for a few days, I think they are Common Eastern Bumble Bees. We've had yellowjacket nests in the past and don't mess around with them. They almost had my husband in the hospital. When he accidentally disturbed their nest, the YJs chased him down the street and stung him 14 times. He was on Benadryl for 2 weeks following. These fellas are about 12 mm long and kind of chubby looking. They have a large furry black head, a yellow furry thorax with a big black spot on the top, and a black furry abdomen. They have two rather see through black wings which the fold overlapping on their back when they are mumbling around on my flowers. They also have black legs on which you can see big sacks of pollen when they are returning to the nest. And, as I said, they are really quite docile. The only time we upset them was when my husband pushed the lawnmower right over the top of their nest. Other than that, you can sit on the ground right next to them and watch them go in and out for hours and they won't bother you a bit. But at this point we are VERY CAREFUL not to tromp on their entrance holes and I won't let the children play anywhere near the nest. (The dog is, of course, more difficult to control - the big goofball.) What I keep wishing for is a nice hungry skunk. The children are generally allergic (cats, dogs, rabbits, pollen, nuts, milk, wheat, etc.), but neither has ever been stung. Unfortunately, we didn't have them tested for bee sting allergies when we had them tested. So at this point, it's an unknown. We do have epi-pens which I carry around for "just in case." About the Rotenone . . . I read online that it is not toxic to bees except in combination with pyrethrum. Here is the link: http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/rotenone.htm The Rotenone/Pyrethrins mixture that Bonide sells is a liquid spray. If someone pours this liquid down their hole at night, won't that cause them to come out in attack mode? I think I'm just a little confused as to logistics. I think I'll try the water/hose method first. It would be optimal to just convince them to move house.
...See More
mason bees nesting in t1-11 siding
Q
Comments (1)
If you want to prevent them from using the same holes for their next season, take the following action: 1) Build a small mason bee box and place it near the old one facing South/Southeast, 2) Tape a piece of cardboard over the holes with a 1/2 inch hole cut in the middle of it. This will discourage the bees from using their old nests and encourage them to occupy the new box.
...See More
HELP! Honey bees nesting in house wall
Q
Comments (10)
Thanks Konrad. It's just impractical for me to remove all that wood siding even though it is the best thing to do. But - this morning I declared war and went back to the store and bought another tube of caulk. With a long aluminum clothesline support pole, I put a glob of caulk on the end of it, climbed so far up the ladder, and dobbed that caulk in the crack below the piece of siding 14' up. It actually worked, and after I got the hang of it I was able to smooth the bead out a bit with the end of the pole. Then I stood below and watched if a bee could still get in, if it did, I dobbed more caulk until I got a pretty good bead along there. I continued to caulk anywhere the bees were going in or out below, too. I'll find out how well it works this evening when most of the bees return. I read on the internet that if you don't see pollen on the legs of the bees going in that maybe they aren't settled yet or feeding young; and they could be stray bees that smelled the old comb and are out to rob honey and take it back to their own hive. So far, I haven't seen any pollen sacs on the legs, so maybe I've lucked out.
...See More
Bees nests!!!
Q
Comments (6)
Honeybees or wasps? A decent stream from a garden hose nozzle can usually knock the smaller wasp nests off the house. Do it in the evening (twilight, not by the clock) when they are less active 9some may cling to the fallen nest and be more than willing to go after you). A can of insecticide for any remaining on the nest on the ground will finish them off. Actual honeybees find a beekeeper. They are normally not that aggressive and can be smoked and safely moved.
...See More
AnneCecilia z5 MI
15 years ago
Note that this bee nest being sold is for Mason bees, good pollinators, and quite gentle - not for honey bees. You might find the following link helpful in making your decision.

Here is a link that might be useful: Orchard Mason Bees at WSU Ext. site
katefisher
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you all very much. Good advice there on all counts. Karl I had no idea that I needed a permit and we definitely are not zoned for Ag. I'll call and see. I would like to keep bees if that would be helpful for them. Would not hurt the pollination of my veggie garden either I suspect.

Kate
jbcarr
15 years ago
I would be surprised if you needed a permit to put up a house for mason bees. They are non honey producers, and those are tubes that are commonly used for housing. Knox Cellars has all kinds of bees supplies.

Here is a link that might be useful: Knox Cellars
chuck_billie
15 years ago
As noted above Mason Bees are good pollinators and nothing like honey bees.
They're sold around here at almost every garden store and the bees are virtually harmless.
I don't think you could do any harm having one of these in your garden area.
There's lots of info on Google about these gentle critters.
They're considered good guys.
catsrose
15 years ago
It might be fun to have the tube to be able to watch the bees, but I think it is a high-priced gimmick--like the $45 hummingbird feeder.
katefisher
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you very much everyone. This has been helpful as it has put me to thinking of what kind of habitat assistance I could provide to the bees during summer or maybe year round. We live in a mountainous area so maybe they have what is needed already but I am going to do some research and find out.

Appreciate everyone's time.

Kate
reg_pnw7
15 years ago
This is for mason bees. Posters about its unsuitability for swarms or hives are correct but thinking of honeybees. Mason bees do not live in big colonies like honeybees do. Each individual builds her own nest, although they are gregarious and build next to each other.

Yes, I do get leaf cutter bees in my mason bee blocks, but leaf cutters are beneficial polliinators too. I've never gotten wasps in them, wasps build their own nests out of mud and paper, or underground. Mason bees normally nest in crevices in tree trunks so they like the blocks of wood.

Even in a community insane enough to require permits or special zoning for honeybee hives would have no such requirements for mason bee nest blocks.

Yes, mason bees, and really all bees, could use a helping hand due to habitat loss.

Mason bees are active only in spring, when they pollinate fruit trees. They are in the nest blocks as larvae in the summer. They do not visit roses as they are not active when roses are blooming.
texasredhead
15 years ago
Thank you for the lead for Knox Cellars.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Small Carpenter Bees Are Looking for a Home in Your Plant Stems

By Pollination Press LLC

Provide flowers and nesting sites in your garden for this beautiful, tiny, metallic blue wild bee — your plants will thank you

Full Story

EARTH DAY 12 Entertaining ‘Bee-haviors’ of Native Bees

By Debbie Ballentine

The parade of pollinator antics is another reason to create a garden that nurtures native bees

Full Story

DECORATING GUIDES Honeycomb Shapes Are the Bee’s Knees

By Susan Redman

The hexagon is everywhere in nature — in honeycombs, tortoiseshells, snowflakes. Why not replicate it in home design?

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Invite Cellophane Bees to Your Garden by Providing Patches of Bare Soil

By Pollination Press LLC

Look for cellophane bees (Colletes) pollinating flowering trees and shrubs in U.S. gardens this spring

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Invite Mining Bees to Your Garden by Planting Their Favorite Plants

By Pollination Press LLC

Look for mining bees (Andrena) pollinating woodland wildflowers in U.S. gardens this spring

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Put Out the Welcome Mat for Leafcutter Bees in Your Garden

By Pollination Press LLC

Provide a diversity of flowering plants from spring through fall for these charismatic native bees, and you won’t be disappointed

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Welcome Sweat Bees to Your Garden Throughout the Growing Season

By Pollination Press LLC

Look before you swat! These friendly sweat bees will feed on your sweat on a hot summer day, but their main buffet is flowers

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Look for Metallic Green Sweat Bees Visiting Your Garden This Fall

By Pollination Press LLC

These beautiful sweat bees will dazzle and delight you with their bright emerald green color and midsummer and fall flower visiting

Full Story

SHOP HOUZZ Shop Houzz: The Birds and the Bees

By Houzz

Give your home some seasonal buzz with whimsical accents inspired by the birds and bees

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Look for Long-Horned Bees on Summer's Flowers

By Pollination Press LLC

These insects are busy in the garden come summer and fall, pollinating sunflowers, coneflowers, asters and more

Full Story

Bee Nests

Comments (10)

len511

karl_bapst_rosenut

Related Discussions

AnneCecilia z5 MI

katefisher
Original Author

jbcarr

chuck_billie

catsrose

katefisher
Original Author

reg_pnw7

texasredhead

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Bee Nests

Comments (10)

Related Discussions

katefisherOriginal Author

katefisherOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

katefisher
Original Author

katefisher
Original Author