Bee nests from an expert at nurturing nature

What with all the news of neonicotinoids and declining bee numbers, the urge is certainly to try to make our gardens as bee-friendly as possible.

Environmental educator, author and researcher, George Pilkington has studied bee behaviour more than most and last November won a Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice in Wildlife and Conservation from The Green Organisation.

He was a founder member of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and runs the Nurturing Nature website, which just buzzes with information on subjects ranging from sustainable gardening to ecotherapy to composting. And, of course, bees.

His research into why commercially produced bumblebee nests often don't work resulted in his producing his own version, complete with a bumblebee "catflap" which is a deterrent to the predatory wax moth.

For solitary bees he's also produced a nestbox with viewing panels (I'm very tempted), which means you can watch red mason bees go about their business of tussling for territory and laying eggs.

Click on the links to see videos of the boxes in action.