How to make a solitary bee hotel
Because gardeners remove dead wood from trees and shrubs, holes made by wood-boring beetles are less common than in the wild. This denies insects – such as some types of solitary bee – valuable nesting spots. In this project, holes drilled in wood mimick the natural process.
YOU WILL NEED Block of untreated wood Drill and drill bits (1mm to 10mm in diameter) Post to attach the block to Sandpaper
1 Place the wood
on a firm surface and drill using a variety of drill bits to create differently sized holes.
2 Roll sandpaper
into a tube and use to sand each hole, making sure there are no snags on the inside.
3 Thoroughly sand
the block’s surfaces so insects won’t catch their bodies or wings on stray splinters.