Allow bees in and out whilst excluding butterflies?

[Buk]

Just be sure that you pay attention and do a little bit of research on what bees are nesting in your tubes. 

I have a minature (20mm cube) motion activated video camera (bought for another purpose that now sits idle) that will record 2 hours of video in 2 minute bursts. Mounted close to the entrance, to avoid it detecting wind induced motion, it might give me a good record of what was visiting.

Also, if I hang a second bee hotel inside the cage in the second year, the new hatchings from the first year would have somewhere to nest without leaving the cage, and maybe I get a self-perpetuating solution?

[The15thMember]

(I also do not have the where-withall to purchase/build a hive; purchase a colony; learn to take care of them.)

Update: I guess a behive with two entrance slots one inside and one outside would work. But still, learning beekeeping in order to avoid tickling bean flowers with a paintbrush is a big commitment of time and dwindling grey matter :)

Thank you for being responsible enough to recognize that.  A lot of people don't view a hive of bees as having the same level of sentiency as they would, say, a puppy.  It leads to a lot of mismanagement and a lot of dead bees, because people just slap them in a box and leave them to fend for themselves. 

Put a hive close to the cage and run a pipe through the netting.  Keep an entrance to the outside so the bees can still forage outside the net.

Wouldn't previous discussion mean that any bees going through the pipe to the cage would be unlikely to find their way back, and thus die?

Bees are oriented to return to their hive entrance by the shortest, straight-line route (a beeline).  If the mesh is intersecting and blocking that beeline, the bees don't know how to go find a way around it, they will just butt their heads into it until they exhaust themselves.  However, if the hive had one entrance that was a pipe leading into your cage, the bees in the cage would return to the pipe, since their beeline would be entirely contained within the netting.  Does that make sense?  Good idea, Ace.   

Just be sure that you pay attention and do a little bit of research on what bees are nesting in your tubes. 

I have a minature (20mm cube) motion activated video camera (bought for another purpose that now sits idle) that will record 2 hours of video in 2 minute bursts. Mounted close to the entrance, to avoid it detecting wind induced motion, it might give me a good record of what was visiting.

Also, if I hang a second bee hotel inside the cage in the second year, the new hatchings from the first year would have somewhere to nest without leaving the cage, and maybe I get a self-perpetuating solution?

As long as they were provided with everything they need (food, water, nesting material), I don't see why not.  And that camera sounds like a great idea! 

[Buk]

As long as they were provided with everything they need (food, water, nesting material), I don't see why not.  And that camera sounds like a great idea! 

Providing a shallow tray, half covered in pebbles and half with dirt, topped up with water to half cover the pebbles and keep the dirt/mud moist is no problem and covers the water/nesting materials (for mason bees at least. Presumable leaf cutter bees would find enough material in a veg patch for their needs?).

That leaves food. Before and after the crops provide sufficient pollen and nectar for the bees; would a shallow container of sugar water (what ratio?) provide food for the rest if the year?

[The15thMember]

Providing a shallow tray, half covered in pebbles and half with dirt, topped up with water to half cover the pebbles and keep the dirt/mud moist is no problem and covers the water/nesting materials (for mason bees at least. Presumable leaf cutter bees would find enough material in a veg patch for their needs?).

I imagine that would be fine.  Some masons and leafcutters are particular about their materials, but many are less so, and I imagine most would be able to adapt to whatever you provide.  Leafcutters sometimes prefer material that is a little bit thicker, which is why they love rose petals.  I have a ground cover called Creeping Jenny that my leafcutters hole punch all summer!    Some masons will only use native dirt, or prefer a particular consistency of mud, so there could be a little bit of trial and error figuring out what they like, but I can't imagine they'd be picky enough for the whole thing to fail if you didn't have it exactly right. 

That leaves food. Before and after the crops provide sufficient pollen and nectar for the bees; would a shallow container of sugar water (what ratio?) provide food for the rest if the year?

Keep in mind that solitary bees are usually not active as long as honey bees or bumble bees are.  Since the adults only live for one season, and aren't living in a large, temperature controlled hive, many are not active deep into fall, and many species are only active for a few weeks in the spring or summer, when their favorite flowers are blooming.  Put your first tubes out when your first garden flowers are blooming, and leave them up for as long as you have flowers in your garden, because you want to be sure you are catching bees that are active when your flowers are.  Definitely plant extra forage crops in your garden (and we can help you with recommendations for good nectar and pollen plants), so there isn't too much competition and you have a little bit of a buffer around your bloom times.  Just like with honey bees, sugar is a good emergency feed, if something doesn't go as planned, but it's far better for the bees nutritionally to have real nectar.  There isn't a lot of information about feeding other bees sugar water, so I'd be hesitant to do it, but it would be better than having them starve.     

[Buk]

Thankyou The15thMember for your openmindedness.; it is a rare commidity these days.

I will construct my bee hotel  -- complete with entrance  surveillance camera -- this coming week.

I'll include 6/8/10/12mm tubes in the hope of enticing a wide veriety of tenants.


If I tilt the dish containing the pebbles and (local) dirt at a (say) 7 ndegree angle, then capillary action should provide a fair spread of consitencies of mud.

I can easily plant a bush Rose, or  Box plant; or any other plantthat wull provide leaf-cutter material. Just a case of determining which is reuired her. Ie. More local research.

More difficult (for me) is what sugar/water ratio will ensure they do not starve for lack of accessible food?

[The15thMember]

Thankyou The15thMember for your openmindedness.; it is a rare commidity these days.

Thanks.    Thank you again for being a responsible bee manager.  I feel confident they will be in good hands.  Hopefully it will all work out, and the bees will have an easy pampered life in your little garden. 

I will construct my bee hotel  -- complete with entrance  surveillance camera -- this coming week.

I'll include 6/8/10/12mm tubes in the hope of enticing a wide veriety of tenants.


If I tilt the dish containing the pebbles and (local) dirt at a (say) 7 ndegree angle, then capillary action should provide a fair spread of consitencies of mud.

I can easily plant a bush Rose, or  Box plant; or any other plantthat wull provide leaf-cutter material. Just a case of determining which is reuired her. Ie. More local research.

Sounds awesome!  Please keep us posted, I'm very curious to see how this experiment turns out. 

More difficult (for me) is what sugar/water ratio will ensure they do not starve for lack of accessible food?

Well, I'm not really sure.  On the one hand, nectar is very dilute.  For example, in America we feed wild hummingbirds 1:4 syrup.  On the other hand, for emergency feed we often feed honey bees 2:1, but then they are used to eating honey, which is very concentrated, and not just nectar.  Perhaps you could look up and see if commercial mason or leafcutter keepers ever feed their bees and if so, what concentration they use. 

[Acebird]

(I also do not have the where-withall to purchase/build a hive; purchase a colony; learn to take care of them.)

Sorry, I made an assumption that you came to a honeybee forum with the intention of having bees.  Butterflies lay their eggs on specific plants.  If you are not into pesticides then just pick off the caterpillars.  Or remove the cage and nature will take care of most of them.  I would still have a rabbit fence and maybe use deer netting.

[Buk]

Butterflies lay their eggs on specific plants. 

Not if they cannot get to them. The cage stays.

[Buk]

Sorry, I made an assumption that you came to a honeybee forum with the intention of having bees.

My system works. It excludes  pretty much every critter that can damage my crops. Bar a few tiny flies (blackfly etc.).

The downside is I have to manually pollinate those crops -- beans, peas, courgettes, tomatoes -- that require it.

If I can find a way -- which I think I may have -- of allowing the bees in (and out) without letting the lepidopteras in,
I benefit not needing to do the time consuming process manual pollination;
and the bees benefit from having additional sources of nectar that would otherwise go to waste.

But how to do that without harming the bees? Where's the best place to ask? A bee forum.

[The15thMember]

But how to do that without harming the bees? Where's the best place to ask? A bee forum.

ABSOLUTELY.  We are more than willing to answer any questions about bees from anyone who has questions, regardless of whether they have bees or ever intend to.  And not only questions about honey bees, but all the other bees too.  Anyone out there who may be perusing this forum, whether you are having a problem concerning bees or you are simply here out of curiosity alone, PLEASE don't hesitate to ask us anything that may be on your mind.  If you have an ID request for a pollinator, if you want information about purchasing real quality local honey, if you would like to know how to help the bees that live in your area, if you are interested in working with beeswax, if you have questions about pollinator-friendly gardening and lawn care, A-NY-THING.  There is no such thing as a dumb question.  We love to talk about anything relating to our little buzzy friends. 

[Ben Framed]

I think there has been a slight bit of miscommunication.
Heres what I an thinking, you have no Honeybees? But you appreciate honeybees visiting your garden? At the same time, you wish to keep butterflies out from you garden, while letting honeybees visit and pollinate? I do not thinks Acebird meant any offense. I am thinking he just assumed you had, or wished to have honeybees, and when he realized you did not,  he switched gears and went on with answers that he though might befit your program. 

Phillip

[Michael Bush]

If they managed to get in, I'm afraid it will act as a bee trap.  They are unlikely to find their way back out.

[Acebird]

If they managed to get in, I'm afraid it will act as a bee trap.  They are unlikely to find their way back out.

I certainly didn't mean any offence and I agree with Michael.  If there is not a hive involved then any bee that gets in the cage will perish.  Those who do not want to have bees but want the benefit of pollination pay someone to use their hives for that purpose.  Payment can be bartered for a small operation.
Unless you are willing to rescreen the whole cage I would forget sieving out the unwanted.
I am thankful you came to a bee forum.  I am hopeful you take the advice.

[The15thMember]

I think we are past the idea of allowing bees in and out of the cage.  Does anyone have any thoughts about Buk maintaining a population of solitary bees entirely within the caged garden? 

[Michael Bush]

Drill lots of different sized holes from 1/16" up to 1/4" in some old sections of a big tree and leave them outside of the fenced in space.  After the solitary bees find it and fill some of the holes, next year put it in the garden inside the space.

[The15thMember]

Drill lots of different sized holes from 1/16" up to 1/4" in some old sections of a big tree and leave them outside of the fenced in space.  After the solitary bees find it and fill some of the holes, next year put it in the garden inside the space.

I drilled some pieces of native wood for solitary bees just a few weeks ago.  I've only ever done straws and natural canes before now, but my dad had some interesting chucks of trees laying around that looked like they would be good for nests.  There were masons checking out the holes by the next day!

[Buk]

Drill lots of different sized holes from 1/16" up to 1/4" in some old sections of a big tree and leave them outside of the fenced in space.  After the solitary bees find it and fill some of the holes, next year put it in the garden inside the space.

This is what I came up with. The tubes are rolled paper 150mm long and varying in diameter from ~4mm to ~10mm.

I intend to hang it on a fencepost facing South in  the sunniest spot in my garden. (I'll also mount my motion activated camera to keep an eye onl visitors.

[Michael Bush]

The tubes work.  So does holes in wood.  If you do the holes, drill them as deep as you can.  They start with males and finish with females, so the female proportion is higher with deeper holes.

[Buk]

So does holes in wood.  If you do the holes, drill them as deep as you can.

That's partly why I went with paper tubes. The longest of my drills is only 120mm; and that the 10mm. The smaller diameters are shorter.

Also, all the advice I've read on the positioning bee hotels suggests the should be between waist and shoulder height. If the lump of wood has any weight to it, I would not be able to suspend it inside my cage easily. Maybe next year, if it works I buy some longer drills and put together a log on legs for the following year.

[Buk]

My bee hotel is positioned and appears to be attracting attention.

I've noticed a lot of (very large) bumble bees that (to my uneducated eyes) appear to be investigating my garden for nesting sites.
(There are no flowers (at all) here at the moment; and they seem to be nosing around any dark areas and crevices.
In the past I have blocked off a couple of gaps in the brickwork of my house to prevent bumblebees nesting there. )

Q: Could I create some kind of nest place (underground) with two entrances -- one outside and one inside the criter cage -- that would be attrative to bumblebees?

If this is a possible, non-harmful idea; what might that look like?