People try to help bees and attract them to their land. With good will, they purchase commercial bee houses, often without instructions for use. But few know that, first, it depends on the material the bee houses are made from. Second, it is not enough to place the house on a tree and expect the bee colony to take care of the house itself.
Trendy commercial bee houses are commonly available in garden centers. But cute fairy-tale houses can cause of the death of the whole bee family. A neglected dwelling becomes an ideal environment for parasites, fungi and diseases.
Moist and Mites
Frequently used bamboo does not dry well, making it an ideal home for pollen mites who need a humid environment. Hatching pollen mites eat pollen that is kept for young bees as the first food. Mites hold on to bee bodies to get to the flowers with them. A bee covered by the parasites cannot fly.
Multiple Species in One Place
Commercial bee houses attract more species of bees at once, which is unusual in nature. Some bees form gregarious nests. The houses are not big enough for them, so they are forced to build their nests further apart. In addition, bees become an easy target for predators.
This is a good example of an invented product without relying on expert opinions. The resulting product will do more harm than good.
Bees need a dwelling that can withstand wind conditions. If a bee house is poorly attached, the larvae may fall out and the bees have difficulty getting in, they cannot land if they swing in the wind.
The Right Bee House
If you decide to support the bees by purchasing a bee house, choose one that is made from the right breathable materials such as paper straws and natural wood (not bamboo).
Keep nests filled with larvae in a safe, dry place for winter. After the larvae grow up and leave the site, the nest needs to be checked for mold, bacteria or mites and disinfected. Cover the houses with a metal mesh so that no predators can reach them.
Why Bees Are Diminishing
According to recent studies, bees have disappeared by up to 90 % worldwide, the reasons vary by region.
The loss of bees is reported by experts from all over the world. Pollinators, so much needed for the entire ecosystem of the Planet, are dying out. Without bees, bumble bees and other collectors of floral nectars, we probably cannot do it. 70 % of agriculture is dependent on bees.
The widespread use of pesticides in farming kill bees and many other beneficial insect species inexorably. Within agriculture and urbanization, natural habitats for nest building, including meadows and forests, are disappearing.
Bees are considered the most important species on the Earth. The best thing you can do for bees is to leave at least part of your flowering garden uncut.
Bees sting stuck in the foot is painful. But if the last bee on Earth perish, we will feel much more pain.
Source and credit: https://earther.gizmodo.com/your-cheap-ass-bee-house-is-probably-killing-the-bees-1835321883, pixabay.com
