Parts

• 8-inch length of 4-inch drainage pipe
• 1-inch length of 4-inch PVC drainage pipe
• 5-inch by 6-inch piece of wood ( 1/4,1/2, or 3/4-inch )
• one piece of 10-inch-by-10-inch chicken wire
• a small tube of glue (liquid nail, Loctite etc.)
• 2-1/2-inch long sheet metal screws

Instructions

1. Make 3 marks on the 4-inch pipe.

• One 2 inches in from the end on the bottom.
• The others 2 inches up on both sides on the end

2. Draw a line from the bottom mark up to the 2 side marks on the end.

3. Follow the lines and cut off the wedge-shaped piece. This will leave a ‘porch roof’ for the larva tubes.

4. To put the end on, set the 4-inch pipe toward the bottom of the 5-inch part of the wood piece.

5. Hold it down and trace around it.

6. Put the pipe aside and put a bead of glue on the mark you made.

7. Set the pipe into the glue and press it down. Let dry 24 hours.

8. Drill two 1/8-inch holes at the top of the board for mounting.

9. Drill two more holes in the bottom of the PVC pipe in case water gets in.

10. Fill the pipe with your choice of larva tubes.

11. Form the chicken wire over the open end of the pipe to keep the wildlife away from the tubes.

12. Take the 1-inch long piece of PVC and make one cut so you can spread it apart.

13. Slide the ring over the wire and on to the 4-inch pipe to hold the wire in place.

14. Drill two holes in the ring and put the 1/2-inch screws into the pipe to hold it together.

15. To finish the project put a coat of paint on the wood.

Nesting tubes

Tools Needed

• scissors
• 6-inch ruler
• two large brown paper sacks (or Reynolds cooking parchment paper)
• one pencil & clear tape.

Directions

1. Place sacks inside each other.

2. Measure a 6-inch by 3-inch block and cut through the four layers of the sack.

3. Separate blocks.

4. Place one block on the table and roll with your finger on the pencil.

5. Place tape in the middle of the block and slide the pencil out.

6. Set a cardboard toilet paper roll upright on the table and place the tube in it.

7. Continue until all tubes are filled tightly. Four full rolls will make a full hotel.

For more on mason bees, check out 6 Amazing Facts About Mason Bees and Acquiring Mason Bees.

Guest post by Elsie Gibeson of MOTHER EARTH NEWS