It is a sign that fills my heart with dread–that bees are in so much danger. Leaving aside the honey bee for a moment, calls now go out for the creation of habitats for native bees–a real indictment of the devastation of native habitats. This has led to “bee motels” turning up all kinds of places. This one is in the park lands.
This one is near our local community garden.
Honestly, the best things I do for bees are growing without chemicals at home, and guerilla planting native plants. But, I decided I could make a bee motel with things that would otherwise be going to recycling or compost, and why not?
The cans come from the kitchen, thought not very often these days. The bamboo grows in our neighbourhood. I had harvested some for banner poles and the side shoots have gone into the cans as well as the excess length. And I’ve tied them together with pre-loved string that has come from the dye pot and before that–from ripped up and upcycled clothing and manchester. Here’s hoping the bees will like it!
Local & Bespoke 
Read up a bit about the habits of your native bees. I just found out a lot of what is being made for them will actually harm them. Here the bees that might nest in tubes like the bamboo, for example, back into and out of the tubes and can shred their wings on rough edges. On the other hand, nature doesn’t make things perfect, so they will use what works for them, hopefully.
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Aaah! Sounds like I might need a tune up… following what seemed sound advice. But… you’re right. Critters have more sense than we do often enough and of this doesn’t strike native bees as a happy home they will pass it by!
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Sorry, I just reread my comment and it is misleading (the abbreviated writing online) — I didn’t read up about your bees, I meant to say you might want to check on your bees’ needs. I found out a lot of what I thought was good (because you see it everywhere) isn’t really. Another mistake apparently is the application of wire grid right to the surface of the motels. While this keeps out some predators, it makes it wonderfully easy for woodpeckers (and similar) to cling and help themselves to all the contents! Now I love my woodpeckers, but….
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Thanks for the clarification! Woodpeckers, though! When I actually saw one (in Canada) I realised that they were stored in the part of my brain where unverified things from children’s books live. I hadn’t actually accepted they were real! I don’t think there are any that live here.
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oh funny! I just assumed woodpeckers would be universal.
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Having nothing directly to do with this post, but knowing your involvement in and interest in the matter: do you know about this?
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/jul/02/why-not-paris-five-indigenous-artists-and-their-trek-from-remote-australia
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Thanks so much!
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