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Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

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Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#11

Post by 11235813213455 »

Wonnk13 wrote: post #8
WaitWaitWha wrote: post #4

I suggest to add a bee home (bee house, bee hotel) to your garden. It is simple, last several years, it can be as small as a bird house, and can be a fun weekend project with the kids. (It can also be purchased.) Please, do not get honey bees, unless willing to take care of them - just like with any animal husbandry. I love them, I am a beek, but I find too many abandoned or swarms from people who bought into the ide…

So the idea with the bee home is the bees come to me? As opposed to me buying honeybees and a hive? I'm asking out of genuine ignorance not trolling, as I'd love to have bees by my planter box, but I don't have the time to be a bee keeper and and don't want to kill the little guys.

probably better to get honey from a local beekeeper (and/or local fruits, which are even better for us, with their fiber)

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#13

Post by throw_away1525 »

Wonnk13 wrote: post #8
WaitWaitWha wrote: post #4

I suggest to add a bee home (bee house, bee hotel) to your garden. It is simple, last several years, it can be as small as a bird house, and can be a fun weekend project with the kids. (It can also be purchased.) Please, do not get honey bees, unless willing to take care of them - just like with any animal husbandry. I love them, I am a beek, but I find too many abandoned or swarms from people who bought into the ide…

So the idea with the bee home is the bees come to me? As opposed to me buying honeybees and a hive? I'm asking out of genuine ignorance not trolling, as I'd love to have bees by my planter box, but I don't have the time to be a bee keeper and and don't want to kill the little guys.

They won't be honeybees, they'll be other types of bees like mason bees. But yes, they will come to you.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#14

Post by morgango »

So, not unrelated was a post from reddit where someone built a little better environment for a frog in their yard: https://www.reddit.com/r/nextfuckinglevel/comments/11czhbt/g... and they ended up with a zoo.

While whimsical, it shows very how adjusting your environment just a little bit can really attract wildlife.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#16

Post by hklgny »

WaitWaitWha wrote: post #4

I suggest to add a bee home (bee house, bee hotel) to your garden. It is simple, last several years, it can be as small as a bird house, and can be a fun weekend project with the kids. (It can also be purchased.) Please, do not get honey bees, unless willing to take care of them - just like with any animal husbandry. I love them, I am a beek, but I find too many abandoned or swarms from people who bought into the ide…

Thanks so much for suggesting this - fits me perfectly. Have always wanted to do something for bees and with bees, but know I wouldn't commit to taking care of them as needed. Going to get this going next weekend!

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#17

Post by mikeyouse »

throw_away1525 wrote: post #13
Wonnk13 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So the idea with the bee home is the bees come to me? As opposed to me buying honeybees and a hive? I'm asking out of genuine ignorance not trolling, as I'd love to have bees by my planter box, but I don't have the time to be a bee keeper and and don't want to kill the little guys.

They won't be honeybees, they'll be other types of bees like mason bees. But yes, they will come to you.

I'm interested in this generally but we've had problems with bald faced hornets and yellowjackets... are they attracted to the bee hotels?

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#18

Post by RegularOpossum »

WaitWaitWha wrote: post #4

I suggest to add a bee home (bee house, bee hotel) to your garden. It is simple, last several years, it can be as small as a bird house, and can be a fun weekend project with the kids. (It can also be purchased.) Please, do not get honey bees, unless willing to take care of them - just like with any animal husbandry. I love them, I am a beek, but I find too many abandoned or swarms from people who bought into the ide…

I've got multiple bee homes for all different sizes. Showing off our orchid bees to visitors is one of my favorite yard activities.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#19

Post by ilyt »

bmitc wrote: post #3

After getting a house with a decent sized yard and trees, I have been having a lot of fun with planting native plants. While my neighbors are cutting down trees, which is honestly hard to watch, and paying landscapers to plant non-native plants, I'm spending a lot of time researching and planting native plants. It is honestly one of the more fulfilling things to walk outside and see all sorts of bees, butterflies, mo…

Yeah, I also don't understand appeal of "just a square of land filled with immaculate lawn and not much else. It's essentially space wasted for nothing.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#20

Post by WaitWaitWha »

Wonnk13 wrote: post #8
WaitWaitWha wrote: post #4

I suggest to add a bee home (bee house, bee hotel) to your garden. It is simple, last several years, it can be as small as a bird house, and can be a fun weekend project with the kids. (It can also be purchased.) Please, do not get honey bees, unless willing to take care of them - just like with any animal husbandry. I love them, I am a beek, but I find too many abandoned or swarms from people who bought into the ide…

So the idea with the bee home is the bees come to me? As opposed to me buying honeybees and a hive? I'm asking out of genuine ignorance not trolling, as I'd love to have bees by my planter box, but I don't have the time to be a bee keeper and and don't want to kill the little guys.

Yes, in general. (Appreciate the honest question.)

Bee homes [0] are basically a bird house with a bunch of small reeds or pipes where several native species can nest. It provides home for several American native bees. It is primarily for solitary bees It does not work for all, but it does help. After all, there are about 20,000 bee species and nearly 4,000 are in North America!

Bee homes do require some cleaning as the cocoons will be left behind in the reeds if you are successful. You will have to replace the reeds, or clean them out (bottle cleaner, or toothbrush works).

Honey bees (Apis mellifera), sometimes referred to as European or western honey bee is not native to the Americas, although they are well established now. They were introduced in the 17th century.

[0] : https://duckduckgo.com/?q=native+bee+home&t=ffab&iar=images&...

(also personal preferences - I use honey bee (not honeybee), as the honey is a description of the bee species e.g. like bubble bee)

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