The Benefits Of Building Beehouses

2022 - Volume #46, Issue #3, Page #19

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Five years ago, Colorado resident Patty Wyngaard had a brainstorm. “I’d started building birdhouses as a hobby but then realized that we need houses for our bees, too. They are so important to our future food supply.”
In the old days, farmers attracted bees by drilling holes in fence posts or wooden boards. “They called them bee boards and they worked great, but we seem to have lost that in these modern times,” she says.
Patty’s new passion took off right away. Using scrap wood, nails she had on hand, and a drill, she started crafting small, natural-looking houses. She has sold or given away over a thousand of them through local farmer’s markets. Interest has grown rapidly because, “These days, saving the bees has become a hot topic.”
She prefers meeting with her customers in person. “Most people I talk to have no idea there are over 4,000 species of bees in the United States and 25,000 worldwide. They don’t realize that 100 Mason bees, for example, do the work of 1,000 honeybees, plus they’re friendly. They don’t have stingers.”
While Mason bees use mud to pack their eggs in, other species known as “leafcutters” prefer leaves or flower petals. Using bit sizes from 1/4 to 3/8 in., Patty drills holes in each of her beehouses to accommodate the tiny occupants. The bees then secure three or four eggs inside each. Although Patty uses rough-cut and untreated wood for her houses “since toxins are deadly to these insects,” she sands down the actual holes so when the bees hatch as adults, they won’t hurt their wings.
Raw, untreated wood has another advantage: the natural material is just right to help the eggs grow and hatch. “You can buy cute and decorative houses made of bamboo or plastic on the internet,” Patty warns, “but those materials aren’t native to a bee’s needs.”
After each hole is packed with bee eggs before winter hibernation, Patty carries them inside out of the weather. In the spring, she hangs each house on the south side of her shop to get full sun. “The houses have to go against something stationary and secure. They can’t swing from tree branches,” she explains. “Once the eggs are laid in the holes, the houses can’t be disturbed for at least 30 days. The growing bees need to rest. They will hatch, fully grown, when it’s time to pollinate, and generation after generation will return to the houses to lay even more eggs.”
To ensure they have plenty of food after hatching, Patty recommends planting sunflowers or wildflowers nearby.
Patty currently has 15 egg-filled beehouses ready to hang outside for 2022. During the winter hibernation period, she carries some of the houses to different holiday and school events to generate interest and educate the curious.

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The Benefits Of Building Beehouses FARM HOME Miscellaneous Five years ago Colorado resident Patty Wyngaard had a brainstorm “I’d started building birdhouses as a hobby but then realized that we need houses for our bees too They are so important to our future food supply ” In the old days farmers attracted bees by drilling holes in fence posts or wooden boards “They called them bee boards and they worked great but we seem to have lost that in these modern times ” she says Patty’s new passion took off right away Using scrap wood nails she had on hand and a drill she started crafting small natural-looking houses She has sold or given away over a thousand of them through local farmer’s markets Interest has grown rapidly because “These days saving the bees has become a hot topic ” She prefers meeting with her customers in person “Most people I talk to have no idea there are over 4 000 species of bees in the United States and 25 000 worldwide They don’t realize that 100 Mason bees for example do the work of 1 000 honeybees plus they’re friendly They don’t have stingers ” While Mason bees use mud to pack their eggs in other species known as “leafcutters” prefer leaves or flower petals Using bit sizes from 1/4 to 3/8 in Patty drills holes in each of her beehouses to accommodate the tiny occupants The bees then secure three or four eggs inside each Although Patty uses rough-cut and untreated wood for her houses “since toxins are deadly to these insects ” she sands down the actual holes so when the bees hatch as adults they won’t hurt their wings Raw untreated wood has another advantage: the natural material is just right to help the eggs grow and hatch “You can buy cute and decorative houses made of bamboo or plastic on the internet ” Patty warns “but those materials aren’t native to a bee’s needs ” After each hole is packed with bee eggs before winter hibernation Patty carries them inside out of the weather In the spring she hangs each house on the south side of her shop to get full sun “The houses have to go against something stationary and secure They can’t swing from tree branches ” she explains “Once the eggs are laid in the holes the houses can’t be disturbed for at least 30 days The growing bees need to rest They will hatch fully grown when it’s time to pollinate and generation after generation will return to the houses to lay even more eggs ” To ensure they have plenty of food after hatching Patty recommends planting sunflowers or wildflowers nearby Patty currently has 15 egg-filled beehouses ready to hang outside for 2022 During the winter hibernation period she carries some of the houses to different holiday and school events to generate interest and educate the curious

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