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Oct 29, 2014 4:03 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Elfrieda
Indian Harbour Beach, Florida (Zone 10a)
Annuals Foliage Fan Herbs Hibiscus Master Gardener: Florida Roses
Salvias Sedums Sempervivums Enjoys or suffers hot summers Ferns Dragonflies
Any time I see a small wooden box at a thrift store I grab it; plus my husband makes some for me. I'm talking about a place for the Mason bees - where she can lay her eggs. I've always seen a lot of them in my garden, but didn't know too much about them until I did some more research.
This first one, I used old wine corks cut in half for the roof (I've been saving those for years).
Thumb of 2014-10-29/orchidgal/dc8a5d

Here's another one we made:
Thumb of 2014-10-29/orchidgal/e92254

In this photo, I hung three of them (facing east ) on some trellis that was already attached to a wall. Something is definitely using the tubes.

Thumb of 2014-10-29/orchidgal/3668db

Here you can see the tubes being filled



Thumb of 2014-10-29/orchidgal/5e352f
“I was just sittin’ here enjoyin’ the company. Plants got a lot to say, if you take the time to listen”
Eeyore
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Oct 31, 2014 2:09 AM CST
Name: Glen Ingram
Macleay Is, Qld, Australia (Zone 12a)
(Lee Reinke X Rose F Kennedy) X Unk
Amaryllis Hybridizer Canning and food preservation Lilies Native Plants and Wildflowers Orchids
Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Pollen collector Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Plays in the sandbox Sedums Seed Starter
That is very useful and practical. Please keep us informed of the residents you get Elfie.
The problem is that when you are young your life it is ruined by your parents. When you are older it is ruined by your children.
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Nov 2, 2014 12:42 PM CST
Name: Catherine
IN (Zone 5b)
Daylilies Lilies Ponds Echinacea Irises Butterflies
Bee Lover Dragonflies Hummingbirder Birds Pollen collector Seed Starter
Thumbs up This is a neat idea to make the nest boxes. I have looked at them online and they are kind of pricey!
Cat
"Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers." - Veronica A. Shoffstall
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Nov 9, 2014 12:00 PM CST
Name: BrendaVR
Ontario, Canada (Zone 6a)
Butterflies Region: Canadian Dragonflies
Very nice!
I like your designs.

Looks like you have a resident leaf cutter bee (Megachilid genera).
If we had no holes in our leaves we would have no butterflies!
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Nov 9, 2014 7:33 PM CST
Name: BrendaVR
Ontario, Canada (Zone 6a)
Butterflies Region: Canadian Dragonflies
@orchidgal is it ok if I use your photos of your beautiful examples in a presentation I am doing?
If we had no holes in our leaves we would have no butterflies!
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Nov 9, 2014 8:31 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Elfrieda
Indian Harbour Beach, Florida (Zone 10a)
Annuals Foliage Fan Herbs Hibiscus Master Gardener: Florida Roses
Salvias Sedums Sempervivums Enjoys or suffers hot summers Ferns Dragonflies
No problem Brenda -- glad that you can use it.
“I was just sittin’ here enjoyin’ the company. Plants got a lot to say, if you take the time to listen”
Eeyore
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Nov 12, 2014 7:04 PM CST
Name: BrendaVR
Ontario, Canada (Zone 6a)
Butterflies Region: Canadian Dragonflies
Thanks orchidgal!
It was well received and I think helped show my 'you can help bees and look good doing so too' point I tip my hat to you.
If we had no holes in our leaves we would have no butterflies!
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Jan 15, 2015 8:00 AM CST
Name: Peggy
Missouri (Zone 6a)
Pied Piper of Weeds
Bee Lover Plant and/or Seed Trader Roses Keeper of Poultry Permaculture Peonies
Lilies Irises Dragonflies Daylilies Cottage Gardener Winter Sowing
I just bought a bee block ,if I try and build anything its never looks like the picture.
If I had tried to build one it would end like this.
Thumb of 2015-01-15/hazeleyes/e7ea22

so instead I bought this
Thumb of 2015-01-15/hazeleyes/47871f
If you would have a mind at peace, a heart that cannot harden, go find a door that opens wide upon a lovely garden.
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Last edited by hazeleyes Jan 16, 2015 8:39 PM Icon for preview
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Jan 16, 2015 3:19 PM CST
Name: Linda Williams
Medina Co., TX (Zone 8a)
Organic Gardener Bookworm Enjoys or suffers hot summers Charter ATP Member Salvias Herbs
Bluebonnets Native Plants and Wildflowers Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Forum moderator Purslane Hummingbirder
Looks great! Now all you need is some residents to move in!
I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. E. B.White
Integrity can never be taken. It can only be given, and I wasn't going to give it up to these people. Gary Mowad
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Jan 16, 2015 8:41 PM CST
Name: Peggy
Missouri (Zone 6a)
Pied Piper of Weeds
Bee Lover Plant and/or Seed Trader Roses Keeper of Poultry Permaculture Peonies
Lilies Irises Dragonflies Daylilies Cottage Gardener Winter Sowing
Have plenty,the husband threatened them with bug spray this spring if I didn't find them a new home.They are making holes in his shop.
If you would have a mind at peace, a heart that cannot harden, go find a door that opens wide upon a lovely garden.
https://www.facebook.com/pages...
Avatar for Plantsmylove
Feb 19, 2015 9:31 PM CST
Name: Alex Junge
MN st paul, (Zone 4a)
I feel your pain sometimes things are beyond our control.


I tried to help the native bees in my neighborhood a few years ago and all it resulted in was people getting stung/ me spending/wasting hundreds of dollars on plants/ bees dying from staffs efforts to control them/ getting obessed about sprays ect/ which leads to me getting more meds for my autism and having group home staff have orkin come.

this spring i'll kill the remaining plants and give up. no sense in luring them to all die by a pest control company.


i highly do not reccommend this for group homes. end of rant
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Feb 19, 2015 9:45 PM CST
Name: Linda Williams
Medina Co., TX (Zone 8a)
Organic Gardener Bookworm Enjoys or suffers hot summers Charter ATP Member Salvias Herbs
Bluebonnets Native Plants and Wildflowers Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Forum moderator Purslane Hummingbirder
Oh, it sounds like a depressing place to live! We're lucky we have our own place in the country and can attract all the bees we want!
I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. E. B.White
Integrity can never be taken. It can only be given, and I wasn't going to give it up to these people. Gary Mowad
Avatar for Plantsmylove
Feb 20, 2015 6:56 AM CST
Name: Alex Junge
MN st paul, (Zone 4a)
its not depressing, just that i failed to be honest about my plans to attract something that couldn't be attracted because of codes/rules i had no idea about.


I just couldn't at the time see why it would be an issue.
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Feb 23, 2015 8:36 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Elfrieda
Indian Harbour Beach, Florida (Zone 10a)
Annuals Foliage Fan Herbs Hibiscus Master Gardener: Florida Roses
Salvias Sedums Sempervivums Enjoys or suffers hot summers Ferns Dragonflies
@Plantsmylove That is such a shame and more so because you tried to help but it was beyond your control. What about birds -- can you put up bird feeders. Then again, someone may complain about the seed husks !!!
“I was just sittin’ here enjoyin’ the company. Plants got a lot to say, if you take the time to listen”
Eeyore
Avatar for Plantsmylove
Feb 23, 2015 4:28 PM CST
Name: Alex Junge
MN st paul, (Zone 4a)
We actually have a bird feeder.. I have to feed safflower so we don't get house sparrows/squrrels.
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