Drilled hardwood belongs as filling material in an insect hotel like the insects themselves. Bees and wasps in particular gratefully accept the equipment. Again and again environmentalists make serious mistakes when drilling the holes. On this page you will therefore find some tips to avoid them. When the holes are finally sealed with a layer of clay because a wild bee has moved in, you know you did everything right.
When drilling, the correct drilling direction must be observed
Create ideal conditions
Warm, narrow tubes offer wild bees an ideal nesting place. If you do not want to use loose filling material such as bamboo sticks, you can also drill the holes in clay or wood. Especially with the latter equipment, however, you have to consider a few things:
- The right wood
- The drilling direction
- diameter and depth
Choosing the type of wood
Soft wood from conifers is very prone to cracking. It is therefore better to use wood from fruit trees that you may even cultivate in the garden. Brittle wood not only absorbs moisture, but also endangers insects.
Before filling the insect hotel, make sure your hardwood is well dried.
The correct drilling direction
Never drill parallel to the grain, because cracks will also form in this case. Sharp edges should be sanded down with sandpaper.
diameter and depth
There are so many types of insects, all of which have certain advantages. It would be a pity if only a small proportion moved into your insect hotel (€11.33). Encourage biodiversity by offering the animals holes of different diameters.
Even more important, however, is the depth of the drilled holes. This should be at least 6 cm. Otherwise, birds will have an easy time pecking the larvae out of their nest holes. That's why the holes should never be completely drilled through, but have a back wall.