We did this too. We have two boxes by our front door for optimum exposure and we never even know the boxes are there. The gal we purchased them from said we need to clean the eggs w/ bleach to rid any predators. I don't do this and I also don't clean the boxes out since they're always in use. The new boxes in the back yard are now more full so I don't think the population is suffering due to my lack of care. We have two different hole sizes as the leaf cutter bees will use this type of nesting habitat too.
Bees love my place. Especially the California Lilac and Hibiscus. I like watching them as they waddle around the flowers, laden with pollen. They always fly off with a heavy load. I don't know where they live, but I should probably put in some housing for them. The place used to have wasps, too. Millions of them. The attic has several of the largest nests I've ever seen. Even 'the suburbs' are big. Good thing they moved out before we got here.
This is the prefect opportunity to post my favorite insect pictures! Ohh and I planted 1 acre of CA native flowers ($998 worth of seed) last fall on one of my grassland preserves. So technically I fed a bee but it wasn't in my house. A Fremont's tidy tip (Layia fremontii) and a native bee Ok, it's not a bee in the Calochortus but it's cool anyway!
If I had acreage, I would plant whatever meadow I had to native wildflowers. I'd just keep the blackberries at bay - around the edges or something.
Fine, I see you are going to make me work. I've rounded up the herd and we are moving them to your place now. Here is footage of the roundup...
When they're done at Rae Vynn's, may as well send them up to me. My dog needs something to herd that doesn't either climb trees or fly away.
Most definitely toads. The environment around our marina is surprisingly dry. This entire area is nothing but a sand pile. While we get a lot of rain and dew, it soaks into the ground instantly. We go from pouring rain to bone dry in a matter of minutes. The toads like the marina because of the bugs. The bugs are there because of the water and the lights. Tom
You have small fury bee keepers in your garden? Lots of them? And they are friendly too!! Let us know if they take food from your hand please
I wanted to comment on that last night but the Advil PM kicked in and I said heck with it, I'll get him in the morning. lol