Artist Evan Hutchison lead a class in Sexsmith Elementary in creating components for a pollinator hotel that will be installed on school grounds.
Students worked with hollow stems, cardboard and wood to make tunnels for nesting insects.
Holes of varying diameters and lengths will attract a variety of bee species.
Bees nest in hollow twigs and small carpenter bees can dig out pithy stems from the rose family for their nests.
Lacewings are beneficial insects that can nest inside cardboard tunnels.
Evan made a cool invention for tying twigs in bundles so they can be secured inside the hotel where they will be protected from the rain.
Can you identify these bee plants growing in the school garden? Watch this space for some spring blooms.
As I was walking east from the school I noticed some chafer beetle damaged lawns. This bare soil is actually great for ground-nesting bees.
Planting violets instead of sod will provide a beautiful bee-supporting alternative to monoculture lawns.
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