Index :
Bee and Ladybird Nesting Boxes

Native UK bees enhance your garden but they need homes! Did you know that Britain has more than 254 species of native bee? All of these bees play an essential role in your garden by pollinating flowers. But these bees are becoming scarce, with fewer wild flowers and suitable nest sites, about 25 per cent of our native bees are now endangered species. The good news is that some of these bees rapidly adapt to using nest boxes placed in gardens. The Oxford Bee Company has designed bee nest boxes specifically for the Red Mason Bee - a gentle native bee that is a very effective pollinator. The boxes sometimes also attract Blue Mason Bee and two species of Leaf-cutter bees. In Britain, this bee's natural nest sites would normally be found in old, mature hedgerows and along ragged, woodland edge, where one might expect to find plenty of old bramble and hogweed stems with broken ends or dead wood and fallen trees. However, many of these nest sites have disappeared. This is why gardens assume such importance for a wide range of solitary bees. The nest boxes mimic the natural nest sites of these bees and comes with a complete set of instructions, and an outline of the Red or Blue Mason Bee's life history. Mason Bee Nests

Bumblebee Nests Bumblebee nest boxes are designed to attract nest-seeking queen bumblebees in early spring, who will use them to rear a colony during the summer. To start a colony in your bumblebee nest it may be necessary to catch a suitable bumblebee. Full instructions are included with the nest, together with lots of information on these fascinating and useful insects. Bumblebees are excellent pollinators of a wide range of garden flowers and vegetables. Ladybird Nests Ladybirds are very useful predators of aphids (greenfly, blackfly etc.). Ladybird nests provide hundreds of safe, snug roosting perches for ladybirds to spend the winter and cold nights. Placed in the garden, these ladybird houses will enourage these beneficial insects. More Information The Life History of the Red & Blue Mason Bee Mason Bees Frequently Asked Questions An Introduction to Bumblebees Books from the Oxford Bee Company: Red Mason Bees Wildflowers for Wildlife Bumblebees Ladybirds

Large Cylinder Nest for Red Mason Bees.

Containing 100 nesting tubes complete with liners and brochure detailing the positioning of your nest and the care of your bees.

Price each   £19.99

Small Cylinder Nest for Red Mason Bees.

Replacement Tubes for Red Mason Bees Nest.

Small Cylinder Nest for Blue Mason Bees.

Replacement Tubes for Blue Mason Bees Nest.

The Red Mason Bee: Taking the sting out of beekeeping.

A practical guide to the management of the Osmia rufa Bee. The book gives a fascinating description of the Red Mason Bee's life and how it is useful for pollination in gardens, allotments, orchards, greenhouses and polytunnels. It is full of practical ideas of how to look after your native bee population and how to make your garden a bee friendly place. Chris O'Toole is the director of Bee Systematics and Biology Unit at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. He has written many books on insect natural history including Bees of the World and Alien Empire. Published by Osmia Publications, Banbury. 34 pages, softback.

Price each   £4.95

Bumblebee Nest

Bumblebee Book, by Chris O'Toole.

The natural history of these fascination and useful insects, how to attract them to the garden and provide homes for them in artificial nests. Chris O'Toole is the director of Bee Systematics and Biology Unit at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. He has written many books on insect natural history including Bees of the World and Alien Empire. Published by Osmia Publications, Banbury. 48 pages, softback.

Price each   £4.95

Wildflowers for Wildlife Book, by Jenny Steel.

Plants to make your garden wildlife friendly. This book describes 30 wildflower species suitable for garden cultivation, illustrated with full colour pictures. It details the wildlife they attract and some of the fascinating folklore that surrounds them. If you are interested in encouraging more insects and birds to your garden, or simply enjoy seeing wildflowers, this book will help you choose species suitable for meadows, shady places, damp spots, gravel gardens or sunny borders - in fact for just about anywhere in your garden. Jenny Steel carried out plant ecology research at Oxford University before establishing and running her own wildflower plant nursery. Published by Osmia Publications, Banbury. 46 pages, softback.

Price each   £4.95

Ladybird Nest/House.

Ladybirds: Natural Pest Control, by Darren Mann.

Ladybird gardening for beginners: the natural history of these useful insects and how to encourage them. Illustrated with colour photographs and suggests ways in which we can make our gardens more attractive to ladybirds. There are about 50 species of ladybirds in Britain and many are common in gardens. Their voracious appetite for aphids (greenfly, blackfly) make them important biological control agents. Ladybirds are the gardener's ally in the constant battle against aphids. Published by Osmia Publications, Banbury. 40 pages, softback.

Price each   £4.95

Ladybird Gift Pack.