Post by Psamathe on Oct 19, 2023 15:18:54 GMT
Sometimes called "Insect Hotels"?
I'm making one (actually several). But the "measure twice, cut once" rule failed me (or rather I failed it) and I've issues with the protective mesh. Basically a wooden box/cube (hardwood, no treatment) closed on 5 sides, open on the 6th side that I'll fill with 8mm inside diameter tubes laying horizontally (plus some longs with holes drilled in them).
I'm lucky in that I have woodpeckers incl. Green Woodpeckers, except they search for food e.g. they've cut several holes in my bat boxes searching out tasty bats. So I'm sure they'll see an insect over-winter hibernation box as a good source of food. So I've made the box so I'll have a mesh at the front and 10 cm between the mesh and the outer limit of the insect tubes.
Research said to make the protective mesh gaps 3cm x 3cm (large enough to allow insects in and small enough to keep birds out). Couldn't find any suitable chicken wire or netting so I drilled holes and threaded string ... except I mis-measured the holes. So if I thread the string diagonally the gaps will be between 2 and 2.5 cm whereas ifI thread the string parallel to the sides the holes will be 3.5 to 4 cm gaps.
Is 2 to 2.5 cm too small to allow bees & other insects easy access? and/or is 3.5 to 4 cm too large and would allow woodpeckers to reach in the 10 cm to the tubes?
I'm unsure which way to go. Any thoughts? (I don't want to drill more holes as they let water in to the end grain and wood wont last as well).
nb. I realise I'm a bit late for this year but am keen to get them completed and outside so any problems (e.g. water logging) will emerge without insects hibernating and can be sorted by next year. Putting something up that really attracts insects and then kills them or makes them easy prey to birds would be counter-productive.
Thanks
Ian
I'm making one (actually several). But the "measure twice, cut once" rule failed me (or rather I failed it) and I've issues with the protective mesh. Basically a wooden box/cube (hardwood, no treatment) closed on 5 sides, open on the 6th side that I'll fill with 8mm inside diameter tubes laying horizontally (plus some longs with holes drilled in them).
I'm lucky in that I have woodpeckers incl. Green Woodpeckers, except they search for food e.g. they've cut several holes in my bat boxes searching out tasty bats. So I'm sure they'll see an insect over-winter hibernation box as a good source of food. So I've made the box so I'll have a mesh at the front and 10 cm between the mesh and the outer limit of the insect tubes.
Research said to make the protective mesh gaps 3cm x 3cm (large enough to allow insects in and small enough to keep birds out). Couldn't find any suitable chicken wire or netting so I drilled holes and threaded string ... except I mis-measured the holes. So if I thread the string diagonally the gaps will be between 2 and 2.5 cm whereas ifI thread the string parallel to the sides the holes will be 3.5 to 4 cm gaps.
Is 2 to 2.5 cm too small to allow bees & other insects easy access? and/or is 3.5 to 4 cm too large and would allow woodpeckers to reach in the 10 cm to the tubes?
I'm unsure which way to go. Any thoughts? (I don't want to drill more holes as they let water in to the end grain and wood wont last as well).
nb. I realise I'm a bit late for this year but am keen to get them completed and outside so any problems (e.g. water logging) will emerge without insects hibernating and can be sorted by next year. Putting something up that really attracts insects and then kills them or makes them easy prey to birds would be counter-productive.
Thanks
Ian
