Bamboo sticks are made for an insect hotel. The hollow tubes offer the animals natural protection for laying eggs. On this page you can read what you should consider when processing and how to fill your insect hotel correctly with bamboo.
Bamboo sticks are ideal for an insect hotel
What insects breed in bamboo sticks?
Bamboo sticks primarily attract wild bees and wasps. The insects lay their eggs in the cavities and then seal them with a protective layer of clay.
Advantage of Bamboo
Since bamboo stalks get narrower towards the tip, you can get many tubes with different diameters from a single stick. Note, however, that you need a lot of bamboo to fill a compartment.
Make bamboo sticks
Bamboo sticks are a purely natural material that you can easily win yourself or buy in specialist shops. When buying, always pay attention to untreated tubes.
material
You need:
- an electric band saw
- a scroll saw
- a fine-toothed handsaw
- or a pair of sharp scissors
Secateurs are rather unsuitable, since the squeezing does not result in clean cuts.
tips
Soaking the bamboo sticks in water overnight before trimming them will make them easier to cut.
Round off edges well
So that bees and wasps don't slit their filigree wings on cracked edges, you should work very conscientiously during production. Sharp-edged cuts are best rounded off with sandpaper or sandpaper.
Dispose of sealed bamboo sticks?
With some bee species it happens that the nest closures remain for months. Many then assume that the brood has long since died. However, this is a mistake, since the insect larvae sometimes hatch after such a long time. Therefore, leave closed bamboo sticks untouched.