Making backyard 'hives' for native bees

Asked May 10, 2019, 6:21 PM EDT


Yamhill County Oregon

1 Response

We have over 500 species of bees in Oregon. The bulk of these species (>70%) live in nests in the ground, but a few nest above ground in things like dead hollow stems or abandoned beetle burrows in logs. You can simulate one of these abandoned beetle burrows by drilling holes into a log. Different bees (as well as beneficial wasps) will holes of different diameters. When OSU surveys the state we use hole sizes ranging from 1/8 inch to 3/8 inch. The holes should be relatively smooth, without a lot of burrs to catch on the bees, so use very sharp drill bits. In a perfect world the holes would be at least 6 inches long, but drill as deep as you can (in short holes bees tend to raise too many males).

I would also retire the logs over time. Disease tends to build up in the chambers. To retire a log, put it in a box with a single 3/8" hole on one side. When the bees emerge in the spring, they will fly towards the light (i.e., the hole in the box) and not return to nest in the block of wood. At the end of the year burn the log.