I’m always up for a challenge. So when my friend, Bev posted on Facebook about a DIY bee skep and then challenged us to make one – well, you know the rest…..
But first…..what is a bee skep other than a cute looking basket thingy which I frequently see in upscale gardening stores? Well, according to Wikepedia…….”Skeps, which are baskets placed open-end-down, have been used for about 2000 years. Initially they were made from wicker plastered with mud and dung but from the Middle Ages they were made of straw. In northern and western Europe, skeps were made of coils of grass or straw. In its simplest form, there is a single entrance at the bottom of the skep. Again, there is no internal structure provided for the bees and the colony must produce its own honeycomb, which is attached to the inside of the skip. “ In other words, they are the predecessors of the modern day beehives we see everywhere.
All I knew is that I have wanted one for a while to add to my garden decor and a challenge to make my own DIY bee skip was not to be ignored.
DIY BEE SKEP HOW-TO
You’ll need the following:
2 x 50′ spool of 1/4″ sisal rope and some twine
tomato cage (I actually used two for better support) – cut off the largest ring or two and about 6″ of the prongs that go into the ground
Glue gun, LOTS of glue sticks, scissors.
DIY Bee Skep – Step One
Cut a piece of twine about 3′ long and start to wrap it around the rope (as shown above). You’ll wrap all the rope eventually. But cutting it into shorter lengths made it more manageable.
DIY Bee Skep – Step Two
Start by gluing the rope around the base ring of the tomato cage. Continue wrapping and gluing the rope for about 5 rows. You’ll need to glue along the entire length of the rope to secure it. When you get to a support post, wrap the twine in and behind the post. This gives it an anchor as you build the skip.
DIY Bee Skep – Step Three
When you finish wrapping about 5 rows (I think I actually did 7), you’ll want to make the opening for the bees to enter. Do this by stopping the wrap at one of the posts and doubling back. This is where having two cages came in handy because it allowed for another support post a few inches away from the first one. Continue wrapping and returning direction for about 3 rows.
DIY Bee Skep – Step Four
In order to get the rounded top, you’ll need to bend down the upright posts. Use this to determine the dome shape. As you can see from mine, it’s not exactly round and more pointy. This is because I didn’t bend the posts down far enough and it created a more oval effect.
Finish it off by cutting off the rope and circling it onto the top.
My next job was to find a home in the garden. Did it look good sitting on the little chair amongst the peonies and day lilies?
Or perhaps it’s better on the bench sitting on the deck at the back of the garden along with my birdhouse collection.
No, I think I like it here in the shade garden amongst the host and hydrangeas.
It’s not perfectly round and there are some gaps and too much glue. But I’m happy with not spending over $100 and having a bee skep in my garden. Are you up for the challenge of making your own? Give yourself 3 or 4 hours to complete this.
Original article and pictures take www.newhousenewhomenewlife.com site
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