Betty B. Puts Bee Box in Tree!

Text and Photo by Betty B.

Most bee species are solitary, meaning that each female cares for her own offspring. Eggs are laid one at a time in a chamber created from mud or chewed up plant leaves, provisioned with bee bread made from pollen and nectar, and then sealed up. Then she starts a new one. Most species of bee nest in the ground in holes that they dig, but some use tunnels made in wood by other insects, or by humans with drill bits). A human with a drill bit made three bee homes this spring. One is here, lodged in the ash tree, one is on the ground next to the rocking bench, and one is in Jude’s possession. I used a range of hole sizes (1/4 inch, 3/16 and 5/32) to attract different species of bee. These bees are not in any way aggressive or defensive around the hole that they are using and it’s very fun to watch them flying back and forth with nesting materials or food for their young.