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Bee Friendly
Create a Bee Condo
Leaf-cutter and mason bees are solitary—each one needs its very own room. A log full of holes makes lots of perfect hangouts.
What You Need:
- Wood, such as a piece of a log or a chunk of firewood
- Board (scrap lumber is perfect)
- Drill and drill bits (1/8 up to 3/8”)
- Hammer and a few nails
What You Do:
- Ask an adult to help you drill holes of different sizes into one side of the log. Make them about 4 inches (10 cm) deep and about ½ inch (1½ cm) apart.
- Nail the board to the top of the log (an adult’s job). This will make a roof that will keep rain from running into the holes.
- Set the house on a fencepost, a tree stump, or another stable location. Look for a place that gets morning sun and shade the rest of the day.
Build a Bumblebee Abode
A flowerpot cottage is just right for big, buzzy bumblebees. Fill it with cozy nesting material and some may move right in.
What You Need:
- Flowerpot at least 6 inches (15 cm) across
- Flat rock or board
- Nesting material: dry fine grass, dry moss, or lint from a clothes dryer
- Cork
- Lay the rock or board on the ground in a dry, shady place.
- Place a handful of nesting material on top of the board and put the pot upside down over it.
- Slide the pot slightly off the edge of the rock or board to make an opening just big enough for a bumblebee (about as big around as your thumb).
- Fit a cork into the pot’s drain hole to keep out the rain.
Art by Jack Desrocher