At the end of our adventure with solitary bees children will make their own insect hotel and find out how we can actively help solitary bees.
MATERIALS
- can (from corn, peas or condensed milk, approx. 400 ml)
- jute or other sticking agent
- glue
- reeds
- dry knotweed stems
- elderberry hollow stems
- secateurs
- plaster
- water
- string
- scissors
Instruction
Once you managed to collect all the materials needed for our hotel for insects it’s time to start creating it.
First cover the can with the cloth. Then cut the straws and elder stalks, knotweed and / or reed to the height of the can.
Mix a little gypsum and glue the stems to the bottom of the can until it is filled. Attach this simple insect dwelling to a height of about 1 metre in a suitable place, like the garden house or fence.
Since most bees are thermophilic and light-loving, the insect house should be placed so that for a part of the day is exposed to direct sunlight. East is better than west because bees are more active in the morning.
Photos of this house and other types of hotels can be found in the attachment.
Observations and conclusions
The wildlife needs the diverse environment. They need flowery lawns, fruit and trees for lairs, wild bushes, rock gardens with fragrant plants or stone walls, but also wetlands or garden ponds. Such an environment can serve as a shelter for many species of insects and invertebrates and as a nesting place for bees and their relatives.
The maintenance-free corner of the garden, the so-called “wilderness” can also serve as a hiding place and home for the insects and invertebrates. This is a space in the garden left undisturbed to allow the wild nature to live naturally.
Many species of bees and other Hymenoptera can find breeding grounds in piles of wood, wooden fence, or in piles of sand and clay. Other places rich in nesting space include reed mats on fences, reed roofs or hollow bamboo trellis.
