Squirrels, Birds, and Bees- Oh My

I have been working to make the exterior of my home a welcoming place for critters. The first thing I did was purchase a new, squirrel-proof bird feeder that I mounted high so the birds don’t get interrupted by our dogs. Next, I made a squirrel feeder that has a lever-controlled lid, so the peanuts stay dry when not in use, and lastly, I made a little picnic table that affixes to the tree so the squirrels have somewhere to eat their peanuts.

I was looking for my next project when I stumbled across DIY bee homes. BeeHome.design lets you customize your bee home and then download the files to either use yourself or take to a local maker. They include a picture of the plans, a building and maintenance guide, and the CNC files for cutting out the pieces.

The homes are meant for solitary bees, of which there are more than 200 species. These bees live alone, instead of in hives, and do not produce honey. They are very important to the eco-system, as they are huge pollinators. Solitary bees are usually non-aggressive, and the males do not have stingers. Females have stingers but only use them when they are stepped-on or manhandled (much like human females). Their life cycle is short, but when they reproduce, the females lay between 1-20 eggs, in a nest, they construct. If you have a bee home or bee hotel, as some people like to say, the bees can use that to lay their eggs while they pollinate your plants and those around you.

If you don’t want to make your own or know someone who can do it for you, try checking out your local garden center. I have seen variations of them at different places in town.

I hope your yard is full of happy critters this week.

You can find more information on solitary bees here, here and here.