Bug hibernation box clarification needed.

Kleftiwallah · #1 (**permalink**) 12-09-2009, 03:20 PM

I'm making a general purpose insect hibernation box with as many different types of accomodation as possible. I've seen bee boxes on't interweb and they look as though holes have been drilled in and through a plank of wood.

My questions are, what is behind the front, is it just an empty chamber accessed through the holes or should I pop in a few whisps of meadow hay and does anyone know what size holes are best? Cheers, Tony.

eucera · #2 (**permalink**) 12-09-2009, 04:20 PM

The bee boxes you refer too are actually nest chambers. They are used in the flight period of the bee in question as nest sites. There is no chance of any bees actually finding them at this time of year and hibernating in them.

Kleftiwallah · #3 (**permalink**) 12-09-2009, 05:41 PM

Still no wiser I'm afraid.

So what is the difference between nesting boxes and hibernation boxes? Maybe I could produce both and bee ready for next season. Cheers, Tony.

eucera · #4 (**permalink**) 12-09-2009, 06:01 PM

There is no such thing as a hibernation box for bees.

loripo · #5 (**permalink**) 12-09-2009, 06:07 PM

The Bumblebee conservation have some info on providing boxes or sites for bees in the garden

Bumblebee nest box trial

eucera · #6 (**permalink**) 12-09-2009, 10:56 PM

The BBCT does have boxes... and these are for nesting rather than hibernation. There is an appallingly low take up rate too for bumble nest boxes generally. You'd be better off just sticking up a Blue Tit box really.

loripo · #7 (**permalink**) 13-09-2009, 06:53 AM

The bees dont like the new boxes then? I did see somewhere that theyneeded nest material already in situ. Would they maybe use the bird boxes at a later date?

eucera · #8 (**permalink**) 13-09-2009, 08:56 AM

In essence, what are sold as "bumblebee nest boxes" are, in fact, "finishing boxes". This means that if the nest colonies are started in a small starter box (several designs on the web), the established nest can mature in one of the big-boxes.

However (and this is the big one), getting bumbles started in captivity is a very tricky task, and requires incubation and feeding of fertile queens under strict conditions. Attracting bumble queens just to set up shop in a bumble nest box has a very low success rate indeed (certainly not worth spending money on buying the boxes)

However, aerial nest boxes (such as bird boxes) seem to have attracted quite a few foundress queens of Bombus hypnorum this year.

None of this though, has anything to do with hibernation (so apologies if this may be a bit off-thread)

loripo · #9 (**permalink**) 13-09-2009, 04:03 PM

Thanks - thats very interesting. We hope to have a wildlife friendly garden at school and I can tell them that bird boxes are a good idea, possibly ladybird 'tubes' but not to go for bee boxes.