I was upset to find dead bees, specifically Valley Carpenter Bees, as I said in my last post about bees. It appears other folks might want them dead and gone or at least off of their property. I hope to offer them sanctuary and welcome them at Hanbury House. Valley Carpenter Bees are native bees that live alone and are calm, obedient, and hardworking. They spend many hours a day pollinating fruits and vegetables. I want to keep the bees around the garden, so I thought the best way to do it would be for the kids and I to spend an afternoon making carpenter bee houses out of scrap wood we had lying around.
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Providing nesting sites for carpenter bees is an easy and rewarding DIY project, These gentle native pollinators are important for gardens and food crops Building them customized bee houses gives the bees a place to thrive without damaging your home Follow these tips to attract carpenter bees naturally to your yard,
Why Make Carpenter Bee Houses?
While carpenter bees resemble bumblebees, they have some key differences Carpenter bees are solitary, nesting in tunnels in wood instead of hives The females have a strong mandible that allows them to bore into untreated timber to lay eggs. This habit of chewing perfect circular holes can damage buildings.
Giving carpenter bees designated nesting spots reduces damage to your home The bee houses also support their populations as natural habitats decline. Once established, carpenter bees are loyal to an area and will reuse nests year after year
Carpenter Bee House Design Tips
Carpenter bee houses should provide the right conditions the bees seek when nesting:
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** Tunnels** – Drill holes 3/4″ or less in diameter at varying depths up to 6″. The bees will excavate the rest.
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Wood Choice – Untreated pine, fir, cypress, redwood or cedar are preferred. Avoid pressure-treated lumber.
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Overhangs – Add sloped roofs to protect tunnel entrances from rain.
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Sunny Site – Face houses south or east in a spot that gets sunlight most of the day.
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Mount High – Install at least 8-10 feet high to be safest from human activity.
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Good Exposure – Place houses on posts or sides of structures with open flight paths.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps to make DIY bee houses:
1. Select Your Materials
You’ll need untreated 4×4 or 4×6 posts, logs, or lumber scraps at least 6″ long. Pine, cedar, cypress and redwood are good choices. Have a drill and drill bits ranging from 1/2″ to 3/4″ diameter on hand.
2. Cut and Sand Wood
Cut wood into segments at least 6″ long. Sand cut ends smooth so bees can easily enter holes.Remove any splinters around the edges.
3. Drill Holes
Clamp wood firmly and drill holes 3/4″ or less in diameter partway into the wood at various angles and depths. Drill some holes parallel to each other and others at crossed angles.
4. Add Roof Pieces
You can add sloped roof pieces above holes for weather protection. Use pine or cedar shingles, plywood, bark, or another rustic material. Cut to size and attach with exterior wood screws.
5. Mount Houses Properly
Install houses 8-10 ft high facing east or south. Place them under open eaves, on sides of sheds, barns, or posts. Avoid shady, cluttered areas.
6. Apply Natural Finish
You can leave wood unfinished, lightly sand exterior, or brush on a natural oil finish. Do not paint or seal bee houses. Allow new houses to weather for a few weeks before bees move in.
7. Site and Monitor Houses
See if bees start investigating holes shortly after installing. It may take them a season or two to fully occupy the nests. Avoid disturbing occupied houses until fall or winter.
Alternative Nesting Options
In addition to custom wood houses, there are other bee-friendly DIY projects to try:
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Mount small logs horizontally with holes drilled
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Use bamboo bundles or reeds tied together
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Bundle pine straw or hollow sticks into tubes
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Drill holes into wood fence posts or dead trees
Get creative with recycled materials – just be sure they replicate natural nest conditions. Place any nests where carpenter bees are already active around your property.
Attract Carpenter Bees Naturally
Supplement bee houses with nectar and pollen sources the bees need. Plant things like cosmos, zinnias, sedum, and flowering herbs nearby. Provide a shallow water source filled with stones for the bees to land on.
With a little effort, you can have carpenter bees happily buzzing around your yard. Take pride in knowing your DIY bee houses support these important native pollinators.
Design of Bee House
European Honey Bees like community hives, but our Bee houses are just a bunch of holes that we hope carpenter bees will find, improve, and turn into a nest. I have seen some commercially made bee houses for sale at Amazon and in gardening catalogs. They don’t look too hard to make, but most of them are made for smaller mason bees, like the ones I took pictures of in March while I was on Catalina.
I love learning about insects and try to provide a habitat for a variety of beneficial ones. Over the years I have learned a lot about insects that are found in California. One of my favorite bug books is Insects of the Los Angeles Basin,* by Charles L. Hogue. It was out of print for a long time, but there is a new edition. I have a hard copy from the 1990s on my shelf. df
Valley Carpenter Bees, Xylocopa varipuncta, are a little over an inch long, which is longer than many other species of carpenter bees. They are the largest bee found in California and are one of the largest bees in America. It was hard for me to find out how big of a hole we needed for the Valley Carpenter Bees. Most of the holes on other sites were for the smaller species of wood-dwelling bees. Therefore, we made them slightly larger and of 3 different sizes, ranging from 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch. The bees are bound to find one of the sizes to their liking.
How to Build a Bee House (WoodLogger.com)
FAQ
Can you make a carpenter bee house?
Do bee houses help with carpenter bees?
How to build a nest for carpenter bees?
How to build a bee house easily?
How to attract carpenter bees to your yard?
To attract carpenter bees to your yard, building a carpenter bee house is one of the best things you can do. You can purchase one pre-made or make your own using a few simple materials. Instructions: Start by drilling 3/_8 inch holes into the piece of wood. The holes should be spaced about 3 inches apart.
Do carpenter bees dig into wood?
From the research I read, into the type of damage that carpenter bees do, they like to dig out a hole and then it changes direction. Some of the ready made bee houses don’t allow for that. We only drilled part way into the wood, enough so that if the bees liked it, they could dig into the wood a more.
Why do you need a carpenter bee house?
Providing a carpenter bee house can help to reduce damage to your own property and support the population of these beneficial insects. While carpenter bees can cause damage to structures such as wooden decks and fences, they are also important pollinators for a variety of flowers and crops.
Are carpenter bees low maintenance?
Carpenter bees are generally low maintenance. However, it’s important to avoid using treated wood for their houses as the chemicals can be harmful to them. Regularly check the house for any damage or wear and make repairs as needed.
Where should a carpenter bee house be hung?
Hang the carpenter bee house in a sunny location, preferably facing south or southeast. The house should be hung where you can sit back and watch as the carpenter bees move in and begin to use it. Carpenter bees are generally low maintenance, but there are a few things you can do to ensure that your carpenter bee house stays in good condition.
Do carpenter bees drill holes?
Even though carpenter bees drill holes, they can also be lazy, meaning providing an existing bee house may entice them to avoid drilling into your porch and deck. Not all bee species are the same, so it makes sense that they don’t all like exactly the same environment for their eggs.