One of every three bites of food we eat is derived from plants pollinated by bees. And bees are in trouble worldwide.
Stingless Native bees on a paperbark tree
As pollinators, bees along with other insects play an essential role for our gardens and plants, fertilizing plants so they may begin producing fruit and seeds. Bees are very important because:
70 of the top 100 most popular food crops are pollinated by bees
80% of all flowering plants on earth and pollinated by bees
Pesticides, parasites and climate change are diminishing bee populations worldwide and we can help them.
How?
We can help them with organic gardening practices, planting flowers to attract them and provide them with shelter, so at the Home by the Sea is opening a Bee Hotel.
A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word.
Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, a writer and I enjoy photography and crafts, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.
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35 thoughts on “Opening a Bee Hotel”
Well done! I have also put up hotels for some years, and I have currently three going. A project is growing bee friendly oplants – and it is coming along nicely!.
I try to incorporate flowering plants in my new coastal garden. It appears to be working. Even hardy herbaceous plants like Rosemary have flowers that the bees here seem to like. I only have a small garden so one is enough. I would love to have a bee hive – stingless native one of course, as the’Moth’ is allergic.
I’d love to try beehives too. But there is much to learn! And in Sweden I know some bee owners too – they tell me it is interesting but so many disasters can hit the bees. Mites and cold for example.
It is precarious moving bee colonies here too, Anne-C. When you buy a native bee hive, the seller will come to your house and help the hive acclimatise to your surrounds. Sometimes, they have fights and might swarm! If this happens, the colony might split up and leave to establish themselves somewhere else. It is quite complicated and I feel a great responsibility as I would not want the hive to die!
For some reason, pasting the link on my phone didn’t work. I hope this does: https://youtu.be/0krriQ90YuY
If it shouldn’t – you can try pasting into youtube the following search term:
“How to split a native bee hive” Sydney stingless bees
I plant flowering bushes and trees in my garden. Even flowering herbs will help. I probably should have included that in the post. It takes some time for the bees to find it. And it is just a hotel not a hive.
A Home by the Sea 
Well done! I have also put up hotels for some years, and I have currently three going. A project is growing bee friendly oplants – and it is coming along nicely!.
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I try to incorporate flowering plants in my new coastal garden. It appears to be working. Even hardy herbaceous plants like Rosemary have flowers that the bees here seem to like. I only have a small garden so one is enough. I would love to have a bee hive – stingless native one of course, as the’Moth’ is allergic.
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I’d love to try beehives too. But there is much to learn! And in Sweden I know some bee owners too – they tell me it is interesting but so many disasters can hit the bees. Mites and cold for example.
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It is precarious moving bee colonies here too, Anne-C. When you buy a native bee hive, the seller will come to your house and help the hive acclimatise to your surrounds. Sometimes, they have fights and might swarm! If this happens, the colony might split up and leave to establish themselves somewhere else. It is quite complicated and I feel a great responsibility as I would not want the hive to die!
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Oh, I would never dare risking this. Have you bought one or will you buy one?
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I would like to get a hive, but it is a six month wait to puchase one. They have to spilt an existing hive to create a new one.
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Oh – well, I am totally lost on how this works. Intereating.
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If you interested Ann- C, here is a YouTube link. It does refer to Australian native bees.
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Yes – but the link?
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For some reason, pasting the link on my phone didn’t work. I hope this does: https://youtu.be/0krriQ90YuY
If it shouldn’t – you can try pasting into youtube the following search term:
“How to split a native bee hive” Sydney stingless bees
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Thank you! Interesting indeed.
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Very cool Amanda. How do you attract bees to your hotel?
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I plant flowering bushes and trees in my garden. Even flowering herbs will help. I probably should have included that in the post. It takes some time for the bees to find it. And it is just a hotel not a hive.
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So that just begs the question … how do they know it’s hotel and not a hive?
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There is no room for honeycomb I guess.
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We recently put one up too – we have a lot of native bees that buzz around so it’s a nice refuge for them.
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Excellent. Is yours a hive or hotel?
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a hotel…
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I would like to get a hive but they is a 6 month wait. Do you have many visitors?
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a few but not many…yet. I don’t think the bee version of trip advisor has been very active.
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Haha. Give it time. A friend said it took 12 months for the bees to find hers.
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What a great addition to the garden. I hope you get many visitors.
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Me too. A hive is next.
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Well done, I hope you’ll attract many to have a rest in your hotel while out on their jobs.
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I so agree!
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Hurray! you’ve done it!
Congratulations on the opening of the Bee Hotel.
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Thank you, Ju Lyn. I have only had one tentacle guest so far! Early days though.
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One guest is just the beginning … you have built, so they will come!
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I hope so. It is only a hotel, not a hive. So we will only get transient visitors.
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Oh, I see. I didn’t realise that there is a transient vs permanent situation. So the bees treat the hotel like flowers they visit? I am so intrigued.
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I belive so. They return to their hive on a more permanent basis. The six month wait and cost of buying a hive is a bit crazy.
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Ah yes! I hear you!
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Thank you, Ju Lyn. I have only had one tentative guest so far! Early days, though.
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Very nice this bees plan.
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