DIY: Bumblebee Hotel for welcoming buzzing guests in your garden

Bumblebees are social insects, which form colonies with a single queen. The little buzzing bees are the most important pollinators for both crops and wildflowers and hold great importance among farmers and garden lovers. So, if you are new into the gardening business, then these little friends is your only hope for a lush green and colorful garden.

Let me tell you one more important thing, which get all the newcomers in gardening business confused. Bumblebees do not stockpile honey, as they do not do overwinter the entire colony, so they are not useful as honey product. They are usually cultured for agricultural purpose and can even pollination in greenhouses too in comparison with other pollinators.

So, here are the things you require to create your own personal bumblebee hotel for your garden. You can also involve your kids in the making process, but just be careful while using saw and drill. This can be a great father and daughter/son duo project and will help them in understanding the importance of such little creatures in green earth.

Things required for making your own personal Bumblebee Hotel:

1.5m x 250mm x 25mm and 1.8m x 45mm x 19mm dressed, treated pine

Small piece of 22mm-wide pipes

Plastic lid (250mm x 190mm)

8g x 45mm and 8g x 30mm galvanized countersunk screws

3 x 15mm galvanized screws

22mm, 18mm spade drill bit

Countersink drill bit, sandpaper, wood glue, staple gun and paint

So, let’s roll up your sleeves, now it’s time to connect the pieces together:

1. Pre drill the screw holes and then countersink holes with countersink bit on both two side and bottom panel.
2. Drill pilot holes on the end panels. Apply glue. Fix sides and bottom panels to make a box by using 45mm screws.
3. Pre drill screw holes in roof panel and countersink. Drill pilot holes in the eaves, then glue and screw into place.
4. Using the 22mm spade bit, drill an entry hole on the side of box and drill a 22mm hole on entry back panel.
5. Screw together entry and back step, insert pipe through the hole in the box.
6. Using 1.8mm spade bit, drill holes ventilation holes in the end of the box and screw feet to bottom with the help of 30 mm screws.
7. Fix plastic viewing lid to fit top of the box, drill three holes on one end of the plastic. Drill pilot holes n box and fix them with 15mm screws.
8. Paint the outside and staple wire gauze over ventilation to make the hotel safe from ants. The wooden roof fits on the top of the hotel warm and dark.

Using dark and bright colors will attract more bumblebees to your garden. The buzzing sound and lush green gardens will inform you that the well-awaited guests have arrived. Do not lose heart if this season you do not get any buzzing guest, if you find any traces of vole and mouse, take it as a good sign. You might get lucky next season and if they arrive, please don’t forget to share pictures with us.

Drilling holes to make box from the treated pines

Entry hole for bees to enter inside the Hotel

Fixing plastic lid and wire gauze to keep place warm and safe from ants

Bumblebee taking plant nector

Via: Stuff