Green & Blue Bee Brick and Bee Block
A couple of years ago, back in the late summer and early autumn of 2017, I discovered an award winning Cornish company, called Green & Blue. I was keen to try two of this company’s products, namely their Green & Blue Bee Bricks and their Green & Blue Bee Blocks. These products have been designed to provide nesting sites for red mason bees, leaf cutter bees, and other species of solitary bee. I am so interested in insects. I do all I can to ensure that my small garden provides a welcoming home to as many creatures as possible, so I was so keen to try these products out.
When I received my Bee Brick and Bee Block, back in 2017, I suspected that I may have discovered these products too late in the season, to attract any solitary bees until next year, but I eagerly put my Bee Brick and my Bee Block outside in my garden. Then I waited and hoped.
Siting Bee Bricks and Bee Blocks
Bee Bricks need to be sited in a warm sunny location, to attract solitary bees, who will use the circular spaces inside these bricks and blocks, as nest sites to lay eggs to raise the next generation of solitary bees. Ideally these bee hotels will also be positioned in the sunshine, near a plentiful supply of bee friendly flowers, but away from any plants or vegetation that might obstruct the entrance to the bricks or blocks.
My garden isn’t particularly sunny, but I found the sunniest location I could muster and installed my Bee Brick and Bee Block. Happily, although I couldn’t steer the sunshine into my garden, I could quite happily supply all my local bees with a choice of a large number of bee friendly flowers.
I checked my Bee Brick and Bee Block at regular intervals, only to be disappointed each at visit, by the sight of my bee hotels, so utterly devoid of bees. The only insect I saw was a spider. That is to say that the spider was all I had seen, until this week, when I was thrilled to discover that my Green & Blue Bee Block has two filled chambers. These chambers contain rows of bee eggs, which will develop into larvae, safely inside my Bee Brick.
Secret to success?
Typically, my Green & Blue Bee Brick and Bee Block had been picked up and moved temporarily, just so it was out of the way while some work was going on in my garden. My Green & Blue Bee Block and Bee Brick weren’t meant to remain in the corner, but that’s where they’ll stay, for now.
So why had it taken so long for the bees to use my Bee Block? No bees used my Bee Brick and Block in 2018, as it was just too shady in my garden. A neighbouring tree was removed just a couple of weeks ago, so more sunlight now warms my garden.
If you’re looking for some brilliant bee plants, click here for some super long-flowering plants that are beloved by bees and butterflies.
More info about Red Mason Bees
If you’d like to learn more about Red Mason Bees, their lifecycle and nesting, click here for more info.
Other articles that may interest you………………….
To see the results of my 2019 Big Butterfly Count, please click here.
To see my original article about my Green & Blue Bee Bricks and Bee blocks, please click here.
