Cabin Journal: Mason Bee Hotels
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| A Mason Bee in a nesting block. |
April 4, 2019
Mason Bees should be coming out soon. One sunny afternoon I decided to refurbish my two repurposed birdhouse bee hotels on the front porch, so I got out my acrylic paints. The front edges got a red touch-up and the eaves a bright white coating. The roofs got a fresh layer of forest green. Then I added bundles of cardboard tubes designed specifically for Mason Bee nesting.
April 6, 2019
Wayne moved the storage box with full nesting blocks from last year to the front porch where the rising sun would reach them. Just in time. The first male emerged today.
June 1, 2019
After a lengthy stay in the States I checked my Mason Bee hotels. I was worried I there wouldn't be enough tubes for the bees to seal up their eggs. The tubes were full, but the enterprising bees cleaned out the wood blocks and filled them up again. I still see a few bees hanging around so I added more cardboard tubes. It’s gone from two nesting bees in 2015 to over 100 this year. Next year I should have twice that many to help pollinate. I love giving Nature a helping hand.
Here's more about Mason Bees:Readying My Mason Bee Hotels
Revitalizing a Bee Hotel
Drilling Nesting Blocks
Building a Simple Bee Hotel
Do you have native bees where you live? Here's a resource to get started. Also, plant pollinator friendly flowers in your garden. Here's another resource for planting a bee friendly garden. Bees need all of our help. -- Margy
Labels:
Float Cabin Journal,
Float Cabin Living,
Insects
Posts
Hi Margy, love that you are caring for bees, that is so important. I just have a balcony with flower boxes here, but lots of lavender which the bees love. Great idea with your journals, too. Thanks for your comments on my blog, too. The 'thief' with the lettuce in its mouth is a goose, I love watching them day for day. Happy PPF, have a great weekend, hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteYou probably get more bees than I do with lots of flowers. I have a few, but my plants are mostly vegetables in a floating garden. - Margy
DeleteLove your journal page and I, too, love bees.
ReplyDeleteWe watch to see what naturally wild flowers attract bees and never cut them down.
Happy PPF...Jan
Where we live next to the forest there aren't a lot of flowers for the bees, but they must find enough pollen to thrive. - Margy
DeleteYour journal page is simply wonderful and great to help the bees! Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining us over at Art Journal Journey!
Much appreciated!
Happy weekend!
Susi xxx
Thank you. I enjoyed visiting your Art Journal Journey linkup. - Margy
DeleteThat is so cool that you are providing a nesting home for bees. I love your art journal entry about it too. Thanks for visiting my blog and happy PPF!
ReplyDeletePaint Party Friday is so much fun. - Margy
DeleteI love those little bee houses- and so cool to have them thriving too! Your journal entry art is fantastic. happy PPF!
ReplyDeleteThe repurposed birdhouses have lasted four years now. Maybe if I keep repainting them they will last. - Margy
DeleteReally a wonderful post and a wonderful thing you are doing for the bees. Your journal entry is fabulous.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouraging words about my journal. It has been an adventure in itself. - Margy
DeleteLoved reading about your bee hotels and those sketches are wonderful. Happy PPF :D)
ReplyDeleteThanks. The more I do the better I get. - Margy
DeleteLuv your journal page and bezt wishes with your bee project
ReplyDeleteHappy PPF
Much🎨❤🎨love
Thanks Gillena. I'll keep it up as long as it's fun for me. - Margy
DeleteDelightful and creative home for the bees and love your journal page artwork!
ReplyDeleteHappy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
They were easy to make, and now that I ordered lots of cardboard tubes it's easy to stock them. - Margy
DeleteI like your birdhouses for the bees and artwork.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good thing that we saved them when we got new ones to put up for the birds. - Margy
DeleteI love what you are doing for your bees and I really love how you recorded it in your journal! Thank you so much for sharing at Art Journal Journey! I shall look forward to reading more of your blog when time permits! Chrisx
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting Art Journal Journey. It's fun to have a place to share my art efforts. - Margy
Delete