Elmira Telegram 285 Posted April 24 For those interested in more, here is a related article: Where To Hang A Bee House Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 1,914 Posted April 24 This was a really cool episode and I learned a lot! We have a couple houses up, I think I'll be building a couple more to disperse throughout the property. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hal 318 Posted April 24 Guess I need to get busy making up some boxes ! I miss having honey bee’s and Mason bee’s being native pollinators may be just the ticket . Gets rid of some residual project lumber as well . 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 1,914 Posted May 16 We’ve got some new tenants: I’ve seen some pollen in a couple others so there’s more to come looks like. I found a bluebird box I bought a couple years ago and took the front off. It’s about 4 1/2” deep, not much less than the above house. I’m gonna try to roll up some paper tubes using a brown grocery bag. It seems sturdier and to me more aesthetically pleasing. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 1,914 Posted May 21 As much as I am a fan of Joe Lamp’l ( which seems like a weird thing to say when I think of it ) he can stick that whole “make your own tubes” where the sun don’t shine. My loving wife and I tore into a grocery bag, and got about this far: Before even I thought, “This is for the birds,” and quit. I ordered the little tubes from Amazon here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hal 318 Posted May 22 Lol , I started making the block type … yeah the proper long shank drill bit is going to cost as much as the tubes on Amazon ! But due to my masochistic nature I’ll probably keep plugging away on the blocks 🤣. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 1,914 Posted May 22 I found another old birdhouse so I’ll be making two, and then that’s enough for this year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 1,914 Posted May 22 14 hours ago, Hal said: Lol , I started making the block type … yeah the proper long shank drill bit is going to cost as much as the tubes on Amazon ! Just use the drill bit you have. The house we have that they're using is only 4-5" deep. Hell, the one I made last year and gets used is probably not even that deep. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hal 318 Posted May 22 5 hours ago, Chris said: Just use the drill bit you have. The house we have that they're using is only 4-5" deep. Hell, the one I made last year and gets used is probably not even that deep. Think I’ll do just that since I have three blocks drilled already . I had the perfect bit but lent it to the furnace contractors assistant to run thermostat wire and haven’t seen it since 🤷♂️. I also “Fred Sanford Scored” some Red Cedar project wood from a neighbor tearing apart a play tower slide LOL. Will make some nice hive houses . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 1,914 Posted May 26 Turns out 125 reed tubes isn’t a whole lot. Didn’t even fill one box, so I improvised and added natural materials: Im gonna hit Hobby Lobby and see if they have something similar, perhaps made of cardboard and cheaper. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 1,914 Posted June 9 The new, smaller diameter reeds are getting filled up which I'm glad to see. I plan on checking around for paper straws in large quantities since they'd be about the same size. And hopefully a hell of a lot cheaper. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 1,914 Posted July 11 Yesterday I picked up some paper straws to try in the second bee house. I'd like to think they're a cheaper alternative to buying reeds, but I don't think the diameter is wide enough. Oh well, some other bug can use them if the mason bees won't. ( Although truth, at 3.99 for 50 straws, I don't know if they're really a cheaper alternative. ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites