The new Bee Barrel from Wildlife World is designed specifically for Solitary Bees.
Did you know? Over 90 per cent of our bee species are solitary, and although these solitary species may often nest in dense populations, each nest is the work of a single female. You can help them by providing solitary bee hives like the Wildlife World Bee Barrel.
There is a selection of common solitary bees that can be found in Britain’s gardens. These can be formed into two groups, Mining Bees and Cavity Nesting Bees.
Cavity nesting bees don’t excavate nests of their own. These species, such as masked bees, masons, leafcutters and carders, use existing cavities. Some species of mason bees may even use empty snail shells, dividing them into compartments with walls of mud or chewed leaves.
Mining bees excavate nest tunnels and cells in the ground. Most species prefer light, sandy, often disturbed soils but some have preferences for firmer clay and some also nest in vertical clay or chalky cliffs.
Bees are the principal pollinators of flowering plants and, as such, play a crucial role in food production. Without bees many fruits, vegetables and other produce would not be produced and many wild flowers would disappear from the countryside.
Honey bees, bumble bees and solitary bees all feed on nectar and pollen. Providing a wide variety of plants, shrubs and trees that flower at different times through the spring and summer is one of the best ways to help bees and other nectar feeding insects, providing them with a constant food supply.
Top flowering plants for bees include: aubretia, alysum, aster, balsam, broom, buddleia, busy lizzie, candytuft, clover, coneflower, cornflower, crocus, dandelion, hebe, honeysuckle, hyacinth, hydrangea, lavender, laveteria, leopards bane, ling heather, lobelia, lupins, marjoram, michaelmas daisy, mint, oregano, phlox, poppy, primrose, scabious, sedum, sweet rocket, snowdrop, tree poppy, thyme, viburnum, wallflower, single flowered varieties of flowering cherries, almonds & apricot.
Wildlife World produces a range of bee habitats for both bumble bees and solitary bee species, offering purpose-built nesting habitats for different species. Click here for more information [ Ссылка ]
