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Article in BBC Wildlife Magazine news - apparently research conducted by Stirling University and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust has found that bee boxes don't seem to appeal to bees very much. In the study, just over 3% of the boxes were taken up by bumblebees, thought to possibly be because the majority of British Bumblebee species tend to nest underground whereas the boxes available for them are above-ground. Best trying to make space for natural sites rather than taking the artificial route!
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
I had a similar conversation with a Bumble Bee recorder a few weeks ago, she said people are better off spending the money either providing nesting opportunities for Solitary Bees or spending the money on 'Bee Friendly Plants', or both.
I had succumbed last year and purchased one of those ceramic bee domes, with cotton wool. The spiders are now living in comfort..!
However earlier this year i noticed a lot of White Tailed Bumblebees making a *Bee Line* to and from my Darlek compost bin, upon investigation i found the slidey door was not fitted properly and the Bees where nesting in there.!!