Kitchen Garden Forum

Can anyone tell me what to pnt in the nest box for the bees i have the plans for the nest but not the filler.
Many thanks

What sort of nest box are you planning?

If you are just drilling holes in wood for solitary bees you don't need to fill them with anything. You can use paper straws the sort from craft shops or special ones from places like this http://www.greenfingers.com/superstore/product.asp?dept_id=200416&pf_id=LS7998D
The problem is they don't suit all size of holes and often you are advised to vary the size of the hole in bee nests.

If it is not this type of nest. We once had a colony of bees nest in the straw covering our dahila tubers so they seem to like straw.
Try this site too as it has advice on nesting materials
http://www.kendalluk.com/bnestbox.htm

If you can find one, put an old mouse's nest in, hughie. Apparently, That's where bumble bees often nest in nature (in grassy banks, dry stone walls etc), and that's what they like.

I have several different types of Bumble Bees nesting on my property and they all favour ground nests. Probably because I have masses of hedgerow with mouse holes therein. I made Bee Boxes for Mason Bees and the second year they were attacked by Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and now the Mason Bees are under my lounge floor somewhere having found a broken vent. That was last year but they may move on again, who knows.
My Bee Box for Mason Bees was made from sections of old Bamboo Canes which were very good for the job as they were a bit irregular in size. These canes were fitted into an old piece of 110mm drainpipe and I made quite a few of them but all were attacked. I may have another go with these and protect from LS Woodpeckers with an iron grille to exclude them but large enough not to put the Bees off.
JB.