Orchard Mason Bee House Review from The Bees Waggle (Week 0/Day1)

Описание: Good educational tool, decent construction, can harvest cocoons, nice wildflower mix. Amazon Affiliate Product Link: http://amzn.to/2a4CWJV As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. #commissionsearned

Spring UPDATE:    • Spring 2017 UPDATE: Orchard Mason Bee Obse...  

The bee house comes with a packet of wildflower seeds provided by Bounty Beyond Belief seed company and contains a mix of over 15 types of native wildflowers to create a long season foraging site for bees and other pollinators. It should say packed for the current year and you should sow these in the spring or late fall for best results. Some of the flowers included are forget-me-nots, purple coneflower, spiderwort, Rocky Mountain beeplant, sweet alyssum, Aspen daisy and lavender hyssop. It’s mid-July right now, so it’s not really the right time to plant. Instead, I’ve sown a handful of these seeds into a pot and we'll see what comes up.

The bee house itself is constructed of untreated pine wood. Along the left hand side are 8 holes drilled into the wood which the bees will make their nesting sites. The bee house measures 11” tall, 8” wide, and 2.25” deep. The front features a door that opens to reveal an acrylic window, so you can check on the progress of the bee nests. At the top of the house is the Bees Waggle Logo engraved in the wood. The four holes on top are slightly larger than the four holes on the bottom; this is because the Blue Orchard mason bee prefers the larger holes and the Leafcutter bee prefers the smaller ones for nesting. The holes are smooth without any splinters or burrs which could damage the bees’ wings.

I did notice a small crack in the corner of my acrylic window that was probably damaged from the screw in the corner being over-tightened, but it doesn’t look like this will impact the overall durability of the bee house. On the back are two hanging holes spaced 1.5” apart on center that can accommodate screw heads with up to a 3/8” diameter. Having the two screws will help stabilize the house so that it won’t move around. The only other minor cosmetic flaw is that the back panel is warped so that it’s not flush with the roof, but that's the nature of wood and it won’t affect the functionality. The hardware on the house, including the hinges and the hook latch to lock the door, are made of brass for weather resistance, but the screws on the bottom and the ones holding in the acrylic plate appear to be plain steel or stainless so may end up rusting over time.

However, the acrylic window is designed to be removable so you can harvest your bee cocoons, clean out, and sanitize the tunnels. To rid the tunnels of pollen mites, lightly sand them or sanitize with a 6% bleach solution after the cocoons are harvested or hatched. If the screws get worn or rusted, you can simply replace them. Cleaning is essential when re-using the house as accumulated pollen mites may result in increased mortality of future bee generations that nest there.

The house comes with an emailed quick start guide that describes the best location for your bee house that directs you to select a spot about 5 feet high and mount the house so that the holes are facing south to get the morning sun. Make sure there are plenty of flowers for foraging nearby, a water source like a pond or birdbath, and mud for the bees to make their cocoons. Overall, the construction of the bee house is solid with only minor cosmetic flaws and seems durable enough for 1 or 2 seasons. It's a good starter house for those new to solitary bees because it lets you see and learn about the nesting process. With proper care the bee house looks like it can be used year after year.

The best time to set out the bee house is in early spring, so I've received this house a bit late in the season, but I’m putting this up now on July 19th, 2016 and will check every few weeks to see if anyone’s made a nest in them. Leaf cutter bees should be looking for nesting places all summer, so stay tuned for updates!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. #CommissionsEarned
Amazon Affiliate Product Link: http://amzn.to/2a4CWJV