# What home are you using for 2011 season ?



## BorderBee (May 5, 2010)

Hi Everyone,

Just gearing up for my third season and looking for the best home again. Last year I used a few different types of tube and liner systems. My best results still seem to be tubes inserted into drilled wooden holes that are protected well. I just noticed what may be the best of all systems yet though. A combination of plastic, and paper tubes, the new Bee chalet system by Knox Cellars. 

Curious if anyone has bought one yet? What type of mounting bracket did they put on the back? Thoughts and comments to it's design? I've looked at many kinds and must admit I'm most excited for this one so far in 2011. What homes are you excited to use?


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## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

I'm using a combination of several different nesting systems this year. I think offering some variety is a good thing, you will find out what kind of setup the bees in your area like best. I got at least 2, possibly 3, species of bees last year- Osmia lignaria and Osmia taurus. One lonely leafcutter-type tube was filled by an unidentified species later in the season.

Last year was my first year with native/solitary bees. I set up two 'cans' with cardboard paper-lined tubes from Knox. the bees liked these a lot.
I also had two wooden nesting boxes with drilled holes lined with paper tubes from Dave's Bees. The blue bees liked these ok, but they only liked the normal diameter (5/16") holed box, not so much the 1/4" diameter test box I put up hoping to attract leafcutter bees. I'm still hopeful about the leafcutters maybe this coming year though.

This Fall I harvested about 75 natural reed tubes from some stands of dried Japanese knotweed down the road. They have many different diameters ranging from 3/16" to about 3/8" and vary in length. I plan to pack these reeds into large V8 or coffee cans or wood boxes and hang them up to see who comes. These reeds will provide a third type of nesting offering to my local bees. 
I can't wait to see what becomes the most popular choice for whom this year! 

I also just ordered some replacement straws and paper liners from Crown Bees, along with a few Osmia cornifrons cocoons.


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## BorderBee (May 5, 2010)

After much more thought and research on the topic I've changed my mind . I'm now going with cardboard tubes and paper liners again. I'm worried about potential mold and moisture issues with the plastic trays as I live in White Rock BC where it can be quite wet. I however also worry about wasps and other parasitic species getting into the loose tubes. I witnessed a few of them between the outsides and holes between the tubes last year. 

So to prevent this I'm making my own custom wooden block trays with drilled holes to hold the cardboard tube with the paper staw inside. This should provide solid protection and reduce moisture issue. I wish someone out there made such wooden blocks though as I would much prefer to purchase what I'm looking for than build myself as I have limited time and Spring is approaching!


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## BorderBee (May 5, 2010)

The new 200 tube super bee house officially started construction today


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## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

We'd love to see pictures when you're done.


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## kincade (Feb 3, 2011)

BorderBee said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Just gearing up for my third season and looking for the best home again. Last year I used a few different types of tube and liner systems. My best results still seem to be tubes inserted into drilled wooden holes that are protected well. I just noticed what may be the best of all systems yet though. A combination of plastic, and paper tubes, the new Bee chalet system by Knox Cellars.
> 
> Curious if anyone has bought one yet? What type of mounting bracket did they put on the back? Thoughts and comments to it's design? I've looked at many kinds and must admit I'm most excited for this one so far in 2011. What homes are you excited to use?


It will be my first season but I'm very excited for the A-frame house I bought from Crownbees. It seems to be very well made. I have 3 tubes of cocoons, the home, and a package of both the easy tear tubes and reeds. I'll be posting a thread as to my success or lack thereof.


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## Seattleite (Jan 30, 2010)

Plastic tray systems, like BeeDiverse and Knox Cellars, have a couple of advantages. They trays can be different colors, which helps the bees orient themselves, and the plastic pretty reliably snaps back together at the end of the season. Wood trays for bees often warp.

That said, they have a critical disadvantage - plastic traps moisture and does not breathe as well as paper, cardboard, or wood. 

I have a BeeDiverse house, and while the bees adopt it immediately and fill it every year, it's also the only house I ever see mold in and has higher-than-average pollen mite infestation and mortality rates. Putting paper straws into the tubes didn't make a difference (tried that last year.)

For a beginner, sure, it's easy. For longer-term population management, go with a system that's paper tubes inserted into a wood structure, and paint some of the trays or ends of the tubes to help the bees orient themselves.


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## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

I agree about paper, reeds, or cardboard tubes providing better ventilation.

Easy ways to help bees orient themselves to the right tubes is to either daub the ends of some of the tubes in various color magic markers, OR simply pull a few random tubes out a bit here and their so they project 1/4" to 1/2" further than the other tubes. You don't need to make every tube unique, just a few scattered about to serve as visual landmarks. 
Natural reeds (like for instance cut segments of Japanese knotweed) are varied enough in length and diameter so that one needn't bother with this.


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## Seattleite (Jan 30, 2010)

I read somewhere that bees can detect basically a yellow-green-blue color spectrum, so variations in those three colors (plus black) would be beneficial.

I am going to try to experiment with some paint chips from Home Depot this year too, to help the bees differentiate between different houses. Maybe if they spend less time trying to find their nest tube, they will spend more time provisioning cells and laying eggs.


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