It's been now several years since I started making houses, ..overall, I'm not too pleased with the results. Just a little disappointed that not more bumbles use this home. I have also tried with several clay pots dug a little into the ground, laid down sideways, never one's a bumble nested. One of my owl houses was occupied by them one year, took some pictures at the end of season, [low number of bees]. I know that bumbles like moss, have seen many bumble nest in the ground,..as a child in Switzerland, on a hill/shade side was mostly moss, I could find many nest there. I might just fill the houses with moss and see, have build another 5 and I will place the entrance holes on different spots, perhaps paint with yellow around the hole. This house is about 16 feet up on a tree, pretty shady in the bush. Never had owls but Northern flying squirrel were in it one time, perhaps they got the moss inside? .. Please share your experience with attracting bumbles to your home. Allot of natural habitat gets destroyed by man, hopefully we can help a little.

Up in Toronto I keep a pollinator garden that has always attracted scores of honeybees -until last year. The feral hive that was nearby in the ravine must have died. I've seen a total of 2 honeybees on my flowers this year. However, a smashing year for 2 types of bumblebees, digger bees, mason bees (I put up a house, it has occupants), yellowjackets, sweat bees, a leafcutter bee (I've seen her in my roses) and a big black hornet thing I have yet to identify. We have lots of GM corn planted nearby my bee yard, which I hate with a burning passion. Killed all 4 of my hives. It's safer to keep urban bees because pesticides are banned in Ontario for public sale. Ideas- Keep an area of your garden in the back unmulched for the ground bees. Overturn an old teapot (in afternoon shade area) and bumblebees may take up residence. Have shallow water with sand in it available. Here's the big one- WATCH WHERE YOU BUY YOUR PLANTS. Most stores and garden galleries have treated seed. So the bee friendly plant turns out to be poisonous... that's vicious. happy bee-spotting

i was thinking/hoping that it was just the empty nest syndrome! they nested between the exterior and interior wall of my shed/ old pigeon coupe. north wall, of course! their entrance was right above the top corner of the doorway. very convenient :) this is the same entrance the bb's used two years ago. i thought they were there later in the season than this. they certainly had more activity than this years. i am worried b/c it has been very dry, it is an old nest that may have disease (?), and there has been pesticide sprayed (limited) and grain form sprinkled on the ground, as well as soapy water for individual insect control on veggies. i know that bees are extremely sensitive. i may just be overreacting since i simply haven't had the time to observe the activity in a few weeks. i have lavendar and echinacea which i know they like. also, lamb's ears which is just starting to bloom. oregano also just starting to bloom. i am not sure if they visit cilantro- pests leave this alone so it has not been sprayed with anything. this spring i had a queen visiting a box in our garage continuously. i finally realized she was collecting fuzz off one of dh's hunting gloves made of that fuzzy flannel type stuff. i had to stand ground for her! last year, dh sucked a queen up in the shopvac thinking she was going to nest in the garage b/c she kept going in there. so, this ;year i told dh if he is so worried, put his gloves away where they belong and leave queeny alone! :)

@Patricia Colwell -- I was able to find some very similar (but not the same one)-- thanks for the suggestion though!: https://www.overstock.com/Lighting-Ceiling-Fans/Bristol-1-light-Beehive-Glass-Pendant/11036189/product.html