Bumblebee hive
Installation and instructions
Setting up the bumblebee hive
Fill the small animal litter up to the
lower edge of the running tube.
Then bed th
e finely plucked upholstery
wool on it.
At the end of the barrel tube, form a
small hollow in the upholstery wool.
This is where the queen should start
building her nest. Now the inner box
can be closed and the bumblebee nest
box is ready for use.
Make sure that the barrel tube is not
blocked b
y filling material.
Setting up the bumblebee hive
The bumblebee hive should not be
placed in the blazing sun. An undis-
turbed place in partial shade, close to
the ground or on the balcony is most
suitable.
The more flowering and insect-friendly
the environment, the more likely it is
that the bumblebee nest box will be
populated. After the colonization, the
nest box must not be moved.
Colonization of the bumblebee box
The first bumblebee queens are on their
way in early spring, as soon as the sun
gains strength. They are actively sear-
ching for a nesting place to start a new
bumblebee colony.
From about March it is recommended to
put the bumblebee nesting box outside.
To make the bumblebee box attracti-
ve for the queens, open the stem and
remove the flap at the entrance, which
is not yet needed in the nest-building
phase.
If you could observe a bumblebee
flying into the box, the stem can be
closed. A dark colored entrance hole at
the bottom is also an indication that
the box has been inspected by a queen
bumblebee.
In order to feed the colony, the bum-
blebees need sufficient plants in the
area.
