How to Make a Bumblebee Nest

With thanks From Gardeners World.com

Find out how to help bumblebees by creating a simple nest for these important pollinators.

Bumblebee numbers have declined in recent years, due to changes in agriculture, which have led to fewer nesting opportunities and flowers for them to feed from. Making this simple nest will encourage them to nest safely your garden. Many species nest underground in old mouse or rat burrows - which this project mimics.

You Will Need

• Flowerpot (20cm in diameter)

• Tube or piping (30cm long, 1.8cm diameter)

• Chicken wire

• Slate or tile

• Nesting material

Total time: 30 minutes

Step 1

Cutting the straw

Select a generous amount of nesting material - ideally an old mouse nest. Alternatively, cut up some dry straw, raw wool or kapok, avoiding using any that's damp or rotting.

Step 2

Making a cradle

Make a cradle out of chicken wire to support and keep the nest dry. Fill the cradle with plenty of bedding material, but don't pack it too tightly.

Step 3

Adding a length of hose to the pot

Perforate an old piece of hose with drainage holes, using a needle. Alternatively use some conduit pipe. Push the pipe into the cradle so one end sits in the nest at a shallow angle, allowing the bees to climb in and out easily.

Step 4

Digging a shallow hole

Dig a hole deep enough to submerge a third of the flower pot. The pot will be part-buried in the ground to create the cool, moist conditions bumblebees need.

Step 5

Placing the nest in the hole

Gently turn the pot upside down, holding the cradle, nest and pipe in place with your hand. Then sink the pot into the ground, ensuring there are no kinks in the entrance pipe.

Step 6

Push loose soil up around the edge of the pot and pipe, leaving the pipe's tip poking out above the surface. Place the slate over the top to keep the nest dry.

Note - the chances of attracting a queen bumblebee are fairly low but it is well worth the effort. Don't give up - if it doesn't work at first, then replace the nesting material next season and try again!