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Bee Friendly

Creat 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 

1. Lay the rock or board on the ground in a dry, shady place.
2. Place a handful of nesting material on top of the board and put the pot upside down over it.
3. 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).
4. Fit a cork into the pot’s drain hole to keep out the rain.

Art by Jack Desrocher