Nest for solitary bees

A nest for solitary bees may be fashioned from a rectangular solid of either a solid matrix or a number of nest elements. Each side of the nest contains a multiplicity of apertures, where each aperture provides a nesting cavity for the bees. Each aperture has an open end and a closed end. If fashioned from individual nest elements, the orientation of the apertures may be adjusted as desired, such that each element may be stacked upon an adjacent element in one of four orientations, so that the cavities of one element may be at 0°, 90°, 180° or 270° relative to an adjacent element. If desired, the aperture density of each side may be adjusted as desired. The configuration of the nesting cavities of the present invention reduces congestion at nest entrances and provides shelter to the bees from predators and the environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nests for cavity-nesting bees are known in the pollination industry and in the fields of research, conservation and education. They are also used by gardeners and enthusiasts. Known nests provide axial openings into which the solitary bees may nest. The entrances to the known nests, which are commonly U-shaped or circular in cross-section, are all on a single side of the assembly. While this configuration has been generally accepted, the present inventor has discovered that this arrangement can result in congestion of the bees at the entrance to the nest openings. This congestion reduces the ability of bees to identify and navigate to their nests. It also increases the amount of time required for the bees to access the safety of the nest and thus creates a longer exposure to hazards, such as predators, pesticides, and harmful environmental conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A nest for solitary bees comprises a rectangular solid comprising either a solid matrix or a number of nest elements, which are usually, but not necessarily, square. Each side of the nest contains a multiplicity of apertures, each with an open end and a closed end, where each aperture provides a nesting habitat for the bees. If fashioned from individual nest elements, the orientation of the apertures may be adjusted as desired, such that each element may be stacked upon an adjacent element in one of four orientations, so that the cavities of one element may be at 0°, 90°, 180° or 270° relative to an adjacent element. If desired, the aperture density of each side may be adjusted as desired.

The orientation of the apertures of embodiments of the present invention encourages bees to populate the nest more than with the known nests and allows the bees to reach the security of the interior of the nest more expeditiously than with the known nests. Two or more stacked nests may be supported within a housing unit in such a way that a passage is left between opposing faces of the stacked nests. The nest elements may be arranged so that some or all of the open ends of the cavities are within the passage between the stacked nests. This arrangement encourages bees to populate the different cavities of the nest, while also providing shelter from predators and the environment. In addition, reduction of congestion at open ends of cavities improves recognition by each nesting female bee of its selected nest cavity, which reduces or eliminates the aggressive behavior and possible injury which may occur when females dispute possession of cavities.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present inventor, having found that the known nests create congestion at the entrance to the cavities has conceived a nest which not only provides the nesting cavities known in the prior art, but where embodiments of the new nest reduce bee congestion at the entrance to the cavities, and some embodiments provide additional shelter apart from the cavities themselves. The current invention provides a stacking nest for solitary bees, which is particularly useful in, but not exclusively intended for, commercial pollination of fruit and seed crops.

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, embodiments of the nest10comprise a rectangular solid. It is to be appreciated that the term “solid” does not refer to the composition of the matrix of the apparatus, which may comprise either a unitary solid or, as discussed below, a plurality of nesting elements, but rather the term is used in a geometric sense—the nest comprises a spatial solid. The nest10has a top12, a bottom14, a first side16, a second side18, a third side20and a fourth side22. The first side16may be on the opposite side of the rectangular solid from the third side20and the second side18may be on the opposite side of the rectangular solid from the fourth side22. The first side16has a large number of apertures24which extend from the first side to, but not penetrating, the third side20. Each of the apertures24of the first side16has an axis L1which is normal to a plane defined by the first side. Likewise, second side18also has a large number of apertures26which extend from the second side to, but not penetrating, the fourth side22, where each of these apertures has an axis L2normal to the second side. In the same fashion, the third side20comprises a large number of apertures28, shown in hidden line, which extend from the third side to, but not penetrating, the first side16, where each of these apertures28has an axis L3normal to the third side. Finally, the fourth side22comprises a large number of apertures30extending from the fourth side to, but not penetrating, the second side18, where each of these apertures30has an axis L4normal to the fourth side. It is to be noted that for each of the axes L1, L2, L3and L4, the axes do not coincide with or bisect any of the other axes. The nest10may be fabricated, by way of example, from drilling or machining the cavities in a solid block, or injection molding of a block having the aperture configuration described above.

Alternatively, an embodiment of nest10may comprise a stack of nest elements50which may be square in plan view, thereby enabling nest elements50to be stacked such that open ends of the apertures24,26,28,30may face in any one of four directions. The density of nest entrances perceived by a nest-seeking bee is reduced to 25% of that which the bee would perceive if all open ends of the apertures were facing in the same direction. Each nest element50may engage with adjacent nest elements50by means of rebate51which is fashioned around the upper perimeter of each nest element50which engages in recess (not illustrated) in the underside of adjacent nest element. Alternative means of engagement may be utilized. In this and subsequent examples, the number of nest elements50in a stack may be varied dependent on the number of bees to be accommodated on a defined area of a specific crop. It is to be appreciated that the basis nest unit described above is utilized in the following described embodiments of the invention, whether the nest10comprises a solid structure or a plurality of nest elements50.

Referring toFIG. 2, the components of a nest10fabricated from individual nest elements50are shown in the process of assembly. Nest10comprises a number of nest elements50stacked with open ends of apertures24,26,28,30facing in four different directions, showing the orientation of axes L1, L2, L3and L4. The stack of nest elements is supported by hanger54which passes through the centre of each nest element50and includes support56illustrated here as a hook, but which may alternatively comprise a carabiner clamp, cable tie, ring, string, flexible wire or other method of hanging or supporting nest52in a tree or from an agricultural structure. InFIG. 2a nut or clamp55is shown as an example of a method of securing hanger54. Other support mechanisms may be utilized. For example,FIG. 3illustrates a stack of nest elements50supported in a housing58. In this embodiment of the nest10′, nest elements50are inserted into housing58by passing them through an opening60. Alternatively one part of housing58such as cover61may be removable to allow nest elements50to be located within housing58, or housing58may be assembled around nest elements50.

FIGS. 2 and 3illustrate embodiments of a nest10comprising nest elements50with U-shaped apertures24,26,28,30as described above, but the current invention is equally applicable for nests comprising apertures of different cross-section, whether formed by the engagement of corresponding grooves on upper and lower surfaces of adjacent elements, or by the engagement of a grooved surface with a planar surface, or by each aperture being fully contained within an individual nest element50. The nest arrangement is also suitable for nest elements of any material and any method of manufacture. When fabricated from nest elements50, the density of apertures24,26,28,30for each of the four sides of the nest10is adjustable.

The dimensions of each nest element50may vary with the species of solitary bee it is intended for; preferred dimensions are 100 mm to 200 mm square, more preferably 125 to 160 mm square. The preferred diameter of circular cavities (or the mean diameter of non-circular cavities) is 6 mm to 10 mm, more preferably 8 mm to 9 mm.

It may be desirable to provide additional navigation cues to bees by applying different colors or patterns to nest elements50, for example by using different colors of plastic in a molding process, or applying paint or other pigments to nest elements50and/or housing58during or after manufacture.

It may be advantageous to provide shade or protection to the open ends of apertures24,26,28,30. In addition to making the nests more attractive to bees in some circumstances, it provides protection against agrochemical sprays, particularly fungicides, which are commonly and in some cases repeatedly sprayed during bloom when the bees are active. A further advantage of providing shade or protection is that it prevents predatory animals, particularly birds, catching nesting female bees at their most vulnerable, i.e., when stationary or slow-moving at the entrance to their nests.

A further embodiment of the stacking nest for solitary bees is shown inFIG. 4; a nest70provides shade conditions for some or all of the open ends of apertures24,26,28,30. Two nest units72a,72b, which may either be solid units as described above, or which may be nest units comprising nest elements50, are held in alignment by base75and cover76. Optional support56is provided for hanging nest70in a tree or agricultural structure. The passage74formed between stacks72a,72bprovides a protected and shady environment at the open ends of at least some of the apertures24,26,28,30. If desired, nest components50may be aligned and assembled so that all open ends of the apertures are within passage74.

The preferred distance between opposing faces of stacks of nest elements50which form passage74is 25 mm to 100 mm, more preferably 50 mm to 75 mm.

FIG. 5shows an embodiment of a nest80in which three nest units72a,72b,72c, which may be either solid units as described above, or which each comprise stacks of nest elements50are supported and held in alignment by base75and cover76in such a way that two passages74a,74bare formed.

FIG. 6shows a nest90comprising nest units72a,72b,72c,72d, which may be either solid units as described above, or which comprise stacks of nest elements50. Referring toFIG. 6, base75and cover76support and hold in alignment solid nests or stacks72a,72b,72c,72dof nest elements50. Two intersecting protected and shaded passages74aand74bare formed. In this and in previous examples, the user may choose to stack nest elements50so that open ends of all apertures24,26,28,30are within passages74a,74b, or alternatively at least some of the open ends of the apertures face outwards. Optional support56is provided for hanging nest assembly70in a tree or agricultural structure.

While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should not be limited according to these factors, but according to the following appended claims.