Bumblebee boxes offer the sociable and harmless garden dwellers important nesting opportunities, which are greatly reduced in residential areas. However, not every dwelling is gratefully accepted, because the flying insects turn out to be choosy. Good pre-planning is therefore important.
The bumblebee box should be protected
Watch the right time
As the hibernating bumblebee queens wake up early in the year and start looking for a suitable nesting site, you should make your insect hotel (€11.33) available for bumblebees early on. This is ideally done in mid-February.
Pay attention to the location
The insect hotel needs a sheltered location with constant conditions. Find a shady place under fruit trees, on balconies or on house walls. Insects like a lively play of light as long as the temperatures inside are not subject to extreme fluctuations. 40 degrees Celsius are quickly reached in the nest when the intense sun shines on the dwelling during the summer. Rain is just as problematic. Align the entrance opening so that it faces away from the weather side.
What bumblebees need:
- an undisturbed area away from heavily used garden areas
- pollen-rich plants in the immediate vicinity
- Hibernation retreats such as flagstones and piles of dead wood
Integrate the bumblebee house into the garden
Dig a pit in the ground equal to the size of the nest box. Place the nest box (€49.85) in the hole up to the lower edge of the entrance opening. Fill this up with sand to improve rain drainage.
So that the bumblebees feel comfortable in the nest box and it looks more natural, place grass, moss, leaves and wood clippings around the dwelling. The entrance looks like an opening in the ground made by animals. Weight the box with stones so that it stands stable even in strong winds.
interior design
Scatter sawdust on the floor. This sucks up the excrement of the bumblebees and binds them. Pluck upholstery wool into fine pieces and distribute them loosely throughout the interior so that they do not mix with the bedding. Also make sure that the entry area is free of wool. To make it more attractive to an inspecting queen, you can make a small hollow just behind the entrance.