Look what came in the mail!
I am participating in a study to see if there is a particular kind of
artificial house that would be acceptable to bumblebees.
The study is being run by the Entomology Department at the University of Nebraska.
Notice that the Entomology Department is in Entomology Hall.
I love that name.
As part of the study they sent me a bumblebee house!
I am beside myself with excitement.
What could be in this delightful packing?
A bumblebee house with dried grass and kapok for nesting material.
And there is a mason bee block and a package of wildflower seeds.
O my goodness! This is the best present.
All I had to do was insert the two plastic pipes for entrances and put the lid on.
The house needs to be sited facing morning sun.
I put it where we have had two natural bumblebee nests before.
It's resting on a concrete block to keep it off the damp ground.
Dried grass covers the entrances pipes.
Bonus mason bee block.
Maybe descendants of my little office hatchlings from last year will nest in it.
I like that the instructions said to discard after one year to prevent disease.
My kind of people.