Bug Hotels! Which Habitat Design Works Best For Bees & Insects?

[@Moody_Maybe]

This is an old video that I’m just stumbling upon ❤️ I bought a little bug house today just because I thought it was pretty, I had no idea!! I ❤ this video!

[@jessicarinagoogle7358]

I’m also watching this old video today! Good luck with it

[@dannyg2077]

Recently moved into a house that has horrible concret garden. We're joyfully converting it into a wildlife garden and slowly bring the life back into it. Always been inspired by the work you do and have got our first bee habitats up yesterday. The wildlife pond is done and we've started removing the concret slabs and sowing wild medow flowers. Thanks for all the great videos they have and will continue to help in this transformation

[@Calastein]

Wow, sounds amazing and thank for you watching and enjoying the videos. You seem to have picked the perfect time to do it when it’s done and as you go along please tweet me some photos, I would love to see them. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Chai_586]

Great video, im from Australia so will have to change some things. Ive got at least 500 logs at my place so infinite designs i can try 🙂

[@Calastein]

Wow, sounds perfect! x

[@carmenortiz5294]

Great video! I turned my yard into a wildlife habitat, after finding just one native bee and her daughter in my newly purchased house. 16 years later, it has been a success for not jut the bees. I was planning to built places for them to over winter (very could state in the USA). I even have wood from a tree that was hanging over my roof, that I can use for your favorite type. 5 thumbs up, if I could, so one will have to do. I'm also not a spring chicken.

[@Calastein]

Wonderful, the world needs more people like you my friend.xxx

[@timmangan1734]

great video thank you -tim from st.paul,mn usa- cheers!

[@698eer]

Thank you for sharing, your video is really informative, i know what to do now with my 3 weeks off work 😊

[@Calastein]

Good luck! ☺️ You should be able to make a 10000 hole one in that time! 😜

[@richardtordoff9005]

An excellent motivator for a much needed easy start on encouraging wildlife. Can you say what are the two most popular hole sizes and how deep with the holes should you go down generally please. Thanks

[@Calastein]

A wide range of holes is best from 3mm to 10mm is my advice :)

[@richardtordoff9005]

@@Calastein Thanks for reply. JUst read the same questions below, apologies. Started making them and have gone around 4" deep. Have a good summer

[@Cliffepoos]

Awesome. Thanks for the idea. I think I will make one of these with my daughter.

[@Calastein]

Cliffepoos I hope it goes well, send me a pic on Twitter when you’re done 😁

[@gardengardenerwastaken]

im interested just because i like using everything on my property instead of throwing it away or recycling. i have lots of dead tree branches to use and some arent suitable anyway for use as bench legs or wood chip mulch or stakes

[@justmejo9008]

The east south thing.. Does it matter what part of the world you are in? Thanks

[@Calastein]

Hi, yes, I imagine it would, especially if you’re in the southern hemisphere.

[@marcelvdberg]

My favourite subject, Bug Hotels! And what an impressive collection you have. Great designs but like you said, the most important thing is that they are good for the bees. It seems like you get loads of holes occupied and i always wondered, what do you do when most of the holes have been used? Do you try to clean holes for re-use or do you leave the hotels alone when they are placed? I also understand that there are spring and summer bees and that the times differ when they lay their eggs. Could you tell us a little bit more about that and the best times to place a new hotel. I think you have chosen wisely, functionality and not too hard too make and they look lovely. I do have some places left and if there is any chance that you can spare the time i would love to order two of the Hapitats you show at 10:30 in the video. I would like to hang them up on some wood i have on one of my outside walls. I can recommend your Hapitats to anyone, they are well made and in my garden they work really well, it's great to watch the bees flying in and out! Thanks for sharing these lovely and interesting video's!

[@Calastein]

Grote Griezel Hi M. :) To be honest I never touch the holes, I read somewhere that they don’t use the same hole twice but I can tell you for both leafcutters and masons that’s simply not true. With Masons in particular after a while the earth inside the hole will naturally break down and fall out leaving the hole as it was, especially if you put them on a slight slope :) If you also add a few hundred new holes in new habs each year you’re covering that anyway but like I said, they do reuse :) Best time to place a hotel is march but honestly I am making 2 a week (I made one tonight! :) ) at the moment because I have an addiction lol It’s not the end of the world if they sit out there until the next year if they look nice right :):):) I would love to make you a couple of those matey no problem, give me a few weeks, you should be able to get them out for Leafcutters too in that time. We’ll converse via email as usual, did you receive W.’s habitat yet, I’m excited to hear what you think, should be any day now! :) xxxx

[@marcelvdberg]

Ok, that makes sense, another thing learned today :-). No parcel received yet but i will keep you posted of course. We will be in touch. Regards and thanks a lot.

[@platepixels4520]

That’s great! Thanks for sharing! How deep do you still the holes through? Presumably not all the way through ...

[@Calastein]

Platepixels Hi there no problem my pleasure. Do the holes as deep as you can while still leaving around an inch at the back end for insulation ❤️❤️❤️

[@platepixels4520]

Great thanks! 😃🐝🐝🐝

[@tjs5960]

I payed 10 bucks for a little house style one its oct 17th I live in lower Michigan today is 32° I want to make a hand made one but what r all the size drill holes and how deep do they go i love all your bug houses they r amazing

[@Calastein]

Hi, Use loads of sizes for different species from 2-3 mm all the way to 10mm as deep as the drill will go. if you look at my channel I have videos specifying the exact requirements in order to get the most out of the habitats xxxx

[@tjs5960]

@@Calastein ok will bry pine logs work good or is there a specific tree i need thanks for all the great info

[@Calastein]

@@tjs5960 Well, it’s no problem at all I enjoy it! :-) Okay the general rule of thumb is the heart of the world the better and the older the world for the better. However, if I mizzle you have and it’s seasoned and not freshly cut then that should be fine. Oak is amazing if it’s years old But quite tough to drill. For the first one pine will be easy to work with and it will last a few years no doubt. :-) XXX

[@tjs5960]

@@Calastein ok great to no i have been collecting bugs in 70% alcohol i have a new wasp i have never seen before how long will the color last at 70° n in a dark place

[@Calastein]

@@tjs5960 no idea, I never collect them unless I find them dead already to be honest. ☺️

[@timewoundsallheels4ever]

Many thanks for sharing your creations and experiences? Have you also noticed what size of holes are most occupied, i.e. what diameter / drill bit size would you recommend ?

[@Calastein]

Thanks for the comment.....I use all size inc. 12mm,10,8,6,4 7 3 mm or anything in between. It all depends on the habitat and the type of solitary bee you want to attract. Generally 6-12 will be Leafcutters, 4-8 will attract Red Masons and then there are some smaller species that will use 3-6 mm but there are no rules. If in doubt use a wide variety. It’s equally important to use seasoned wood and face it in the right direction. :)

[@DottyGran247]

Thank you :) I guess if you're not sure (like me..lol) a good idea would be to place as many as one can around the garden and keep an eye on them, similar to what you have done & make them so they're not fixed straightaway so they can be re-located to more suitable areas. I made a start on a bee hotel last year and I'm definitely seeing more bees around than usual but none of the holes I made in an untreated log are filled yet, have seen quite a few bees landing on newly dug area along one of my borders today though but I'm not sure what type they are or even if they will stay, the border has been mulched with chipped bark so perhaps it's that that's attracting them. Update on my tadpoles....still going strong and I read that you can feed them boiled lettuce, broccoli and even carrot so started with lettuce about ten days ago...they seem to love it. Ann

[@Calastein]

It's only me lol I love tadpoles, makes you feel like a kid again! :) I gave mine spinach I think and then once they had moved onto flesh I gave them fish food and they liked that too :) Couldn’t agree more about your placing multiple habs arounds the garden trying them out, it’s certainly working for me and gives bees lots of choice. Sometimes I watch a bee tying hole after hole after hole and they just can’t seem to make up their mind, mind you Perhaps 20000 holes is a bit too many to choose from! lol xxx

[@DottyGran247]

Wild About Nature arghh!!! fish food....keep meaning to buy some for them....thanks for the reminder 👍🏻

[@casper1240]

Seen all sorts of conflicting advice on solitary Bees houses some say holes drilled in logs are Bee graveyards others say trays are best im just experimenting at the moment with both good vid thanks

[@Calastein]

Granville Bennet Thanks for watching xxx They are the opposite of bee graveyards, it’s exactly what they would use in wild which is why I always find that very frustrating. I produce thousands of bees each and every year from my habitats which are buzzing. xxxx

[@casper1240]

@@Calastein i always think the same way, what would they do in the wild

[@casper1240]

Mainly American sites saying you must harvest the cocoons and keep them in the fridge then release them in spring ad infinutum must have the correct hole etc im all for letting nature do the job a lot simpler !

[@Calastein]

Granville Bennet Like you said; what would happen in nature. I’m sure some of mine die by mites etc. that will result in an evolutionary change like it does in the wild where bees that survive the mites will be stronger :)

[@conservativecalifornian2571]

We don't have a large backyard but we do have space and live in California. Where do you recommend we place these ? In a shady area or sunny area ? If we place it by an area where we are sitting is that safe or do the bees get aggressive?

[@Calastein]

Hi there, The perfect spot is south facing if you’re in the northern hemisphere which I suspect you are, in a warm location sheltered from the wind as far as possible which receives a decent amount of sunlight but ideally not full all day long sunlight but that isn’t a deal breaker. Solitary bees are docile by nature and do not intentionally sting as they do not have a hive mentality as by their very nature they are on their own and therefore aren’t protecting a colony necessarily. I’ve never been stung intentionally by one of my bees and although I can’t say it will never happen I’ve literally spent hundreds of hours sitting amongst thousands of them flying around without incident. hope this helps X

[@duddy7031]

Me again! What depth should you drill the holes? Glad you mentioned vinyl tiles - I have some leftover dark grey ones in wood effect! Do the bees reuse vacated holes, or do you need to clean them out periodically with a pipecleaner? Was really researching videos before making a small pallet-based bug hotel, and have been in the woods today collecting bark and fir cones, but think I'll make a start on the crumpet design (that's what I thought it looked like when I first saw it in the background!!!) Many thanks.

[@Calastein]

Hi, lot to answer there…….holes: deep as you can drill although any depth will work to some degree while leaving some wood at the rear/back for insulation. Vacated holes: yes they do and will actually clean them out as long as they are dry. Cleaning them: no, don’t bother, too much interference, let nature do it’s thing and that includes even if there’s mites which are part of nature and natural selection too imo.. good luck with the habitats! x

[@lauraann8005]

How deep in inches do you drill the holes?

[@Calastein]

Hi, As deep as you can 👍☺️👍

[@jackyfellows506]

I made a bug hotel last year but as yet I've not seen any activity around it. Need something else perhaps. I like the idea of the free standing hotels as my garden is south facing so not easy to find suitable walls to attach things to.

[@Calastein]

Jacky Fellows Hi there, south facing is a good position to cater for different species. Without seeing your garden ( or your habitats ) it’s hard to advise but you’ll need a place that’s sheltered from the wind for sure, preferably off the ground (the actual ground, not a platform) and near water and vegetation if you can. Do you have a pond or water available. For a wildlife garden it’s an absolute must, otherwise wildlife will only pass through and won’t stay :)

[@jackyfellows506]

I have a thriving wildlife pond but it's on the other side of the garden. I don't think I can add photos in comments but the hotel is off the ground attached to a fence post next to some wild sweet peas. I'll put my insect watering hole by it, perhaps that will help. I will give the log hotel a go though...I love what you're doing for wildlife, keep it up!

[@McintoshSteveAndrea]

Thanks. I got a make up one for Christmas. I have just finished it. Where the slats are what would you recommend I put in there?

[@nl4064]

great video great effort inspiring, but lets give them the flowewrs and habitat thery need to thanks for sharing

[@Calastein]

N L totally agree if you watch my videos I promote having indigenous native flower species throughout your garden as food plants.

[@chazchum323]

I love bug hotels and bees

[@jcshaven6093]

pwede pala silang gawang hotel

[@thegolem797]

These look great, and I intend to get some built this year. Is there a particular depth of hole that works best, or do you drill various depths (or even all the way through)?

[@Calastein]

Try loads of different whole types from 3 mm to 10 mm that way you will cover a lot of species including Mason bees and leafcutter bees and the smaller solitary bees like sparrow bees. for whatever drill you are using try to go as deep as you can that’s a good rule of thumb. Larger drills tend to be bigger and therefore can go deeper which suits the larger species so it works whatever you are using. :)

[@wildlifegardener-tracey6206]

That’s been really useful, thank you. My job to night is to move my beee houses around. My garden is south facing. Bye I have a west facing border and an east. My leaf bees have used south facing in the past but last year not really much uptake. I’ll move my hotels tonight and observe them over this summer. Obviously the ones that the mason bees are using will stay put. I need to get a drill and try making my own. Yours are such an inspiration. I have bees in the ground around my pond early mining bees. Do you have them in your garden?

[@Calastein]

Tracey Pye Hi thanks for the comment, very interesting, I hope your repositioning does the trick! I don’t have Mining Bees but I have a plan to make a fake earth/sandy river bank in the future so watch out for a video on that! :) xxx

[@Pete.Ty1]

😊👍

[@thomaspaine5601]

Do you have a website for your bug hotel business? Did you say Happytat? I cannot find you.

[@Calastein]

Hi, no not necessarily it’s not really business and the money goes towards wildlife and saving rainforest. However, I do have an Instagram which has loads of pictures of previous bee-hotels that I’ve made. I never registered the name ’Hapitats’ or anything. let me know if you want me to scan & send you a business card which I do have! 😊

[@Haradeas]

Great design, but I miss the huge amount of flowers you need for such enormous amount of holes :) Gonna make some vids soon also, got 150 + plants, cant wait till my bee hotel hatches :)

[@Calastein]

Haradeas Don’t worry about having all the flowers you need as long as your neighbours and the immediate area have food plants you’re golden xxxx

[@Foxiepawstotti]

So they like Penthouses? Lol... good to know... I have a lot of wood in Scotland!

[@Calastein]

Look for seasoned wood, they much prefer it, nice and dry and harder :)

[@myinfinity1743]

How much u selling them for?

[@Calastein]

my Infinity I don’t sell them, I just charge shipping and then ask for a donation to the World Land Trust made in my name so I can hang the certificate up on my wall :) xxx

[@liverpool1995lfc]

You sound a little bit like will off the inbetweeners