DIY UF Native Buzz Plans

Solitary Bee & Wasp Nesting Tower

(Skill Level: Advanced)

Here are the plans for creating a Solitary Bee/Wasp Nesting Tower. Don't feel
constrained by these plans but feel free to use what you'd like from them and
modify as you see fit. All metric measurements are in [brackets].
There are two main steps- build the bookshelf style frame and add the nesting
elements:
Build a bookshelf style frame (We used treated wood for this part)
Obtain three 2"x1'x8' [50.8mm x 304.8mm x 2.4m] pressure-treated planks
of wood.
Use one of the planks to create your shelves by cutting it into six 1'x1'
[304.8mm x 304.8mm] sections and one 1'x2' [304.8mm x 609.6mm]
section (most home improvement stores will provide a certain amount of
cuts for free if you buy the lumber there).
The six 1'x1' [304.8mm x 304.8mm] sections will be the shelves and inner
roof while the one 1'x2' [304.8mm x 609.6mm] section will be the outer
roof.
We drilled pilot holes to avoid splitting the wood. We used clamps and wood
glue to hold the shelves in place and used four 2" [50.8mm] deck
screws to attach each shelf (a screw in each corner of the shelf holding it
to the frame).
Leave about 2' [609.6mm] from the bottom before the first shelf so you can
bury the base. We put the base of the frame in a large plastic storage bin
full of ready-mix concrete to act as a base.
The storage bin/concrete base was buried underground.
You can stain or waterproof your frame however you'd like- the bees and
wasps are not meant to nest in the frame and protecting it with stains or
lacquer will enhance the durability.
Once the frame is complete and buried you can add the nesting elements. Be
as creative as you'd like.
We used untreated materials for the nesting elements as bees and wasps will
be in close contact with these materials.
We filled one section with bamboo cut to 8" [203.2mm] long.
We filled another section with cardboard tubes, 8" [203.2mm] long and 3/16"
[4.76mm] inside diameter.
We filled other sections with bee blocks (2"x6" [50.8mm x 152.4mm] sections

cut to fit on the shelf) drilled with 5" [127mm] holes between 1/8"
[3.175mm] and 3/8" [9.52mm] inside diameter.
We suspended a log from the second shelf by a hook (in the log) and an eyehook (from the underside of the 2nd shelf.
On the bottom shelf we placed a clay block with 3/8" [9.52mm] & 3/16"
[4.76mm] holes poked into it while wet and allowed to dry.
Hope this helps & if you end up putting together a nesting site- please, send
pictures of your completed nest!
Thanks!!
Buzzkeeper@UFNativeBuzz.com