Bee cups are a smaller tackle the bee bathtub, offering each magnificence and ornament to planters and backyard beds, in addition to a protected place for bees to cease by and get hydrated. Right here’s how one can deliver slightly little bit of creativity and a bee watering station into your backyard.
Final week I shared my venture of constructing bee breakfast pots with the after-school care program, and I promised I might present you the way to make the bee cups. These miniature bee water stations give visiting pollinators a spot to soundly cease for a drink. They usually look fairly darn cute all on their very own!
The cups had been designed by the sensible group over at Paper Crow Artistic. My good friend Julie Hebb is the very gifted artist who began Paper Crow Artistic as an after-school arts program in North Vancouver.
We’ve lengthy talked about internet hosting a workshop collectively, and the bee cafes changed into the proper alternative to collaborate. Julie got here up with the bee cups, and her group went forward and designed them. I used to be so impressed with their stage of thought, analysis, and creative talent.
These aren’t only a easy children’ craft. They approached making the bee cups as a high-level artwork, however in a approach that was partaking and enjoyable for youths and folks of all ages. The cups turned out fantastically, and I take a look at them each time I stroll previous my planter.
Paper Crow Artistic hosts after-school applications and summer season camps for youths, however they’re about to open their very personal studio and store! They plan to host a bee cup workshop as a part of their new class choices, so in case you’re native, maintain a watch out, as adults and youngsters can have the chance to make bee cups and different pottery and artwork.
These clay bee cups are one thing you are able to do at Paper Crow Artistic in case you dwell within the Vancouver space, or at your native pottery studio in case you dwell elsewhere. I additionally counsel displaying this venture to your native artwork applications, because it’s an incredible solution to have enjoyable whereas studying about how we might help pollinators.
This publish will cowl…
Bees Have to Hydrate Too!
We regularly don’t consider bugs stopping to take a drink, however they want water simply as a lot as we do. Albeit a lot smaller quantities!
There are a lot of issues we are able to do to assist the bees and invite them into our gardens, and these bee cups are a small solution to say thanks to the pollinators gracing our gardens. They’re shallow and grippy sufficient for bees to drink safely with out drowning.
Bees use water to dilute their honey, maintain the hive cool, feed their infants, and support their digestion. So, they will need to have a protected bee watering station to drink from and relaxation at.
From a sensible gardening and wildlife standpoint, these bee cups aren’t one of the simplest ways to maintain bees hydrated, because the water gained’t take lengthy to evaporate. A bigger model, like my bee bathtub venture, is extra prone to really keep stuffed with water regularly to be a viable water supply for bees and different bugs.
BUT that doesn’t imply we shouldn’t make bee cups or that they don’t have worth. Right here’s why.
These bee cups are a ravishing reminder that we love our pollinators. Every time we stroll previous them and admire them, we take into consideration the bees and that we have to assist them. They’re eye-catching and supply loads of backyard magnificence, whereas additionally symbolizing our dedication to wildlife.
And in my case, they had been an incredible jumping-off level to show the following era about bees and the way it’s getting more and more troublesome for wildlife to seek out protected water sources in city areas.
So sure, let’s construct the bee cups as this vital reminder, a little bit of backyard magnificence, and a enjoyable exercise to activate your creativity.
However let’s additionally keep in mind to take issues one step additional. Bees and wildlife want different sources of water as properly. My e book, The Regenerative Backyard, has a complete chapter devoted to water, and dives into the other ways to seize, retailer, and use water, together with the way to use it to assist our wildlife. I encourage you to test it out if you wish to study extra about how your backyard can contribute to your area people and wildlife.
Make Clay Bee Cups
For this venture, you’re going to want to make use of conventional pottery clay. Air dry clay will disintegrate exterior and with moisture, and polymer clay is just not food-safe and subsequently can’t be used for the bees.
This venture does imply you’ll want a kiln to fireside and glaze your bee cups. Fortunately, there are various native pottery studios that provide this service. I counsel in search of native workshops and pottery studios that may help you use their studio to make your individual initiatives or hearth gadgets for a small price. Merely seek for a pottery studio or kiln close to me, and also you’ll get loads of outcomes.
Supplies
Wedging the Clay
Earlier than getting began along with your clay, that you must correctly put together it. Wedging clay is the method of eradicating air bubbles so the clay doesn’t break as soon as it’s within the kiln. You’ll be able to’t skip this step.
To wedge, you need to stand at a desk that’s waist peak. This gives you sufficient leverage to lean in and provides the required power for kneading the clay. You additionally need to maintain a sprig bottle useful to flippantly mist the floor or the clay if wanted to maintain the clay from drying out.
Begin with a handful of clay. Throw the clay on the desk a couple of occasions (excellent for getting out anger and frustration!). Use the desk to make it right into a normal sq. form.
Subsequent, you’ll gently knead it ahead with the palm of your hand in a single movement. Earlier than kneading once more, scoop below the clay and pull it again in the direction of you. Push it ahead once more with the palm of your hand. Repeat this course of a couple of occasions till the formation appears like a ram’s head.
In case you’re new to wedging, I extremely counsel watching a fast tutorial, like this one, to see a visible of the method.
Making the Bee Cups
As soon as your clay is wedged, use a rolling pin to easy the clay till it’s about ½ inch thick. Subsequent, we used a flower-shaped cookie cutter to chop out the flower form.
Lay the flower on a pottery sponge after which use a big ball stylus software to softly push the flower in opposition to the sponge right into a cup form.
To make the middle of the flower, roll a small ball of clay. To connect it to the flower, rating each the again of the ball and the middle of the flower, and gently flatten it.
Scoring is one other important clay method to connect two items of clay. To attain, you’ll use a small pointed/sharp stylus to make a sequence of strains throughout the again of the clay in cross instructions. You’ll repeat this course of on the opposite piece of clay you’re attaching. Subsequent, you’ll add “slip,” which is both water or actually moist clay, and this acts as glue.
Subsequent, you’ll mix the sting of the attachment with a moist paintbrush or a mixing software. For extra particulars on scoring, watch this fast tutorial.
It’s additionally vital that the middle of the flower is textured in order that the bees have one thing to grip onto whereas they take a drink. Use a software to flippantly press small holes into the middle of the flower or to scratch it up ever so barely.
Clean out the within of the petals after which use a needle stylus software to make detailed strains on the petal of the flower.
For a few of our flowers, we left the highest of the flower similar to that. However you may add a secondary row of petals utilizing a barely bigger cookie cutter and the sponge to form the second layer right into a cup, and the scoring method to connect the 2 layers.
For the bottom of the bee cup, you’re going to roll a protracted cone form. In case you’ve already made one, it’s useful to measure it in opposition to a completed cup to get the peak proper. For the primary one, begin off lengthy and reduce as you go till you get a peak that feels proper.
Subsequent, you’ll rating and slip the highest of the cone and the underside of the flower to connect the 2 items.
For additional power, you’ll additionally roll out slightly rope of clay and wrap it across the attachment, utilizing rating and slip method as properly. Use your instruments to mix all of it collectively so it appears just like the flower blends proper into the cone.
Drying, Firing, and Glazing
Now, it’s onto drying. The bee cup must dry out fully earlier than you may hearth it within the kiln. Your native pottery studio will know when it’s best to position it within the kiln.
After being within the kiln, you may glaze it and let your artistry shine via. The youngsters had the very best time adorning these bee cups and placing their very own character into their artwork. As soon as the glazed cups are fired, they’re fully water-safe and prepared for the outside.
An enormous thanks to the group at Paper Crow Artistic for sharing your lovely bee cup design with me and the world! These bee cups are a beautiful approach so as to add some artwork into your backyard whereas supporting pollinators. Pair them with a bee breakfast planter, and also you’ll have an much more welcoming house in your backyard’s smallest guests.
Extra Methods to Assist the Bees
A metropolis lady who realized to backyard and it modified every thing. Creator, artist, Grasp Gardener. Higher residing via crops.
