How to use

How to Use Bee Cups: A Complete Guide If you've just received your Bee Cups watering stations, you might be wondering: "Okay, now what?" Don't worry, using Bee Cups is refreshingly simple. Step 1: Placement and Installation Where to place them:🐝Garden beds, potted plants, hanging planters, and vegetable gardens all work beautifully. We like to place ours near flowering plants since bees are already visiting for nectar.🐝How to install: Push the pointed end into soil with steady, firm pressure. If you have very rocky soil you can start a hole with a drill or awl. Easy! Step 2: Fill With Water 🐝Bee Cups only hold about a teaspoon of water, enough to keep pollinators hydrated throughout the day.🐝When to fill: Morning is ideal, when bees start their workday. If you already water plants during this time, simply fill your Bee Cups! On very hot days, a midday top-off keeps the station active.🐝That teaspoon typically evaporates by day's end. This natural cycle prevents mosquitoes from laying eggs, which require standing water for several days. Step 3: Watch What Happens Days 1-3: Scout bees investigate your new stations. Honeybees perform "waggle dances" to communicate resource locations to their hive. Once a few discover your Bee Cups, word spreads fast. Week 1-2: You'll see consistent traffic as bees add your garden to their daily route. Butterflies may begin "puddling" - sipping mineral-rich water essential for reproduction. Week 3+: Your garden becomes a recognized hotspot. Well-hydrated pollinators visit 30% more flowers per trip, which means more pollination and more blooms. Keep your phone handy. There's something incredibly photogenic about a fuzzy bumblebee taking a drink from a Bee Cup. Maintenance and Care Bee Cups are delightfully low-maintenance, but a little care keeps them beautiful and functional.💧Wipe out dirt or pollen with your finger or soft cloth. Check stability in soil.💧One a month, remove cups for a gentle rinse. Check for hard water buildup. Reposition based on plant growth.💧Cleaning tips: Bee Cups are dishwasher safe. For hard water stains, soak overnight in white vinegar and gently scrub with a sponge. In freezing climates, bring cups indoors for winter (though they're tougher than you think). Common Questions "Can I use tap water?" Yes! Pollinators aren't picky. "I haven't seen any bees using them yet." Give it time. It can take a few days to a few weeks for pollinators to discover new water sources. "Will other animals use them?" Absolutely. We've seen butterflies, hummingbirds, wasps, ladybugs, caterpillars, beetles and many more insects drinking from Bee Cups. The first time you see a dusty bee land on your Bee Cup, take a long drink, and fly off with renewed energy, you'll understand why thousands of gardeners have made this simple practice part of their daily routine. Shop Our Full Collection of Bee Cups Here 👉 https://bee-cups.com/pages/all-products Have questions about using your Bee Cups? Reach out to our team on Instagram. We love talking about pollinators and helping gardeners create thriving habitats!

How to Use Pollinade Tablets: The Complete Guide to Mineral Supplementation for Pollinators Most gardeners think filling a bird bath with fresh water is enough. But pollinators need minerals just as much as they need hydration, and plain water doesn't cut it. Ever notice butterflies clustered on muddy puddles or damp soil? They're "puddling"- extracting essential salts and minerals they can't get from nectar. Without these minerals, male butterflies can't mate successfully, bees struggle with muscle and nerve function, and birds can't maintain electrolyte balance during migration or hot weather. Pollinade Tablets turn your bird bath into a mineral spa that actually gives pollinators what they need. Step 1: Choose Your Water Source 💧Bird baths work best. Your existing bird bath becomes a complete wildlife resource station with just one tablet addition.💧If you don't have a bird bath, any shallow water container works. 💧What makes a good location? visible to wildlife, near flowering plants, and partial shade. Step 2: Install Your Pollinade Tablet Position the tablet so one corner is submerged, with most of the tablet's top surface above the water line. The exposed portion serves as a landing platform for butterflies to "puddle."Pro Tip: Rotate the tablet weekly so different corners are submerged. This ensures even mineral release and prevents the entire block from being depleted at once. Step 3: Maintain Your Mineral Water Station Every 3-4 Weeks, reload your tablet. The minerals leach out whether the tablet is being heavily used or not, so consistent reloading is important regardless of visible pollinator activity. Remove and dry the tablet – Let it dry completely. The tablet needs to be bone-dry before reloading. Prepare your salt solution – Mix 1 pound of pink Himalayan salt or sea salt with 1.5 gallons of water. Stir until completely dissolved.  Soak the tablet – Submerge the dry tablet in your salt solution. You'll see bubbles rising as the clay absorbs the mineral-rich water (this is normal). Let it soak until bubbling stops (usually about 30 minutes). Dry again – Remove the tablet and let it dry completely in the sun. Once fully dry, it's recharged. Return to service – Place the recharged tablet back in your water source. What to Expect Butterfly Puddling: Groups of butterflies (often males) gathering on and around the tablet. They'll extend their proboscis into the water while perched on the tablet's exposed surface. You might see tiger swallowtails, sulphurs, blues, fritillaries, and painted ladies. This congregating behavior is called a "puddle club."Bird Bath Use: Birds will drink and bathe as usual, but they're also benefiting from the mineral supplementation, especially during hot weather or migration.Increased Pollinator Activity: Over time, you'll likely see increased pollinator activity in your entire garden area. Common Questions "Butterflies aren't using it." Give it time. Make sure you have adequate flowering plants nearby, the tablet positioned with exposed surface for landing, and that it's peak butterfly season (late spring through summer)."The tablet cracked." Clay can crack from freeze-thaw cycles. In cold climates, bring tablets indoors for winter. Cracked tablets still function."Is this safe for pets?" The mineral concentration is safe for wildlife and shouldn't harm pets who drink from the bath. However, provide pets with a separate plain water source. Shop Our Pollinade Tablets Here 👉 https://bee-cups.com/collections/shop-page-all/products/pollinade-tablets Questions about Pollinade Tablets? DM us on Instagram! We love talking about the often-overlooked nutritional needs of garden pollinators!

How to Use Bee Nurseries: A Complete Guide to Supporting Native Bees The bees doing most of the heavy lifting in your garden probably aren't the honeybees everyone talks about. They're native bees: mason bees, leafcutter bees, carpenter bees, and hundreds of other solitary species that have been pollinating North American plants for thousands of years. Unlike honeybees, they don't live in hives, don't make honey, and rarely sting. The problem is their nests get destroyed during garden clean-ups and pesticides wipe out entire generations. Bee Nurseries are handcrafted porcelain tubes that give these bees a safe place to nest, and unlike bamboo bee hotels, you can actually sterilize them between seasons. Let’s talk about how to use them to help native bees. Step 1: Choose Your Placement 🐝All Nurseries should be placed horizontally and placed with the hole facing outward so that it can be easily seen by passing bees.🐝Sheltered from direct sun – Place nurseries in shade or where they'll avoid direct sun exposure. Porcelain heats up significantly, and too much sun can overheat developing larvae. Exception: if nighttime temps regularly dip below 55°F, some morning sun is acceptable.🐝3-6 feet off the ground – place Nurseries on fences, walls, posts, or garden structures.🐝Near flowering plants – Place Nurseries within 100 feet of diverse flowering plants. Bees need pollen sources nearby to stock their nest cells.🐝Stable, permanent locations – Bee Nurseries should stay put. Bees return to the same nesting sites year after year. Step 2: Let the Bees Discover and Nest Spring (March-May): Mason bees and other early-season natives emerge and start seeking nesting sites. You might see bees investigating tubes within days.Summer (June-August): Leafcutter bees take over. You'll notice them cutting perfect semicircle pieces from leaves to line their nest cells.Fall: Most nesting activity slows. Sealed tubes now contain developing bees that will overwinter and emerge next spring.Winter: Larvae and pupae are safely overwintering inside sealed cells. Leave nurseries undisturbed.Signs of active nesting: Bees entering and exiting tubes with pollen loads, mud or leaf material at tube openings, closed tube entrances (success!)🐝 Don't disturb active tubes. Don't move nurseries mid-season. Don't panic if occupancy is low at first; it can take a full season for local bees to discover new sites. Seasonal Maintenance and Cleaning Wait until you see the seal at the end of the tube broken. This means that your bees have emerged. If your tubes have been occupied all winter spring is the perfect time watch for a broken seal. Then: Boil tubes in water  Scrub thoroughly inside and out with a straw brush or pipe cleaner Rinse multiple times Dry completely in the sun Reinstall for the new season This process kills parasites, mold, and bacteria. Common Questions "No bees are using my nurseries." Give it time. Make sure you have adequate flowering plants nearby, proper shade placement, and that it's spring (peak season). "I see tiny wasps around the nurseries." These are beneficial wasps that use the nests just like bees. They rarely sting, pollinate flowers, and eat garden pests like cabbage worms. "When should I add more nurseries?" If 75% or more of your tubes are occupied by mid-summer, add more. Shop Bee Nurseries Here 👉 https://bee-cups.com/collections/shop-page-all/products/native-bee-nurseries-3-pack-new-look Have native bee stories? Tag us on social media! Native bee enthusiasts are a passionate, knowledge-sharing community, and we're excited to have you join it.

How to Use Murder Mix: A Complete Guide to Befriending Your Neighborhood Crows Crows are obsessed with shiny objects. We learned this the hard way when customers started reporting their Bee Cups going missing, carefully plucked and flown off like trophies. So we created Murder Mix™: tiny porcelain trinkets designed to satisfy your neighborhood crows' collecting instincts while keeping your Bee Cups in the ground.Crows are scary smart (they use tools, recognize human faces, and remember them for years), and if you feed them regularly and offer them shiny things, you might gain a loyal garden guardian. If you're lucky, they might even bring you gifts in return. Step 1: Find Where Crows Already Go Spend a few days watching your property. Where do crows regularly perch, forage, or land? Common spots include fence posts, balcony railings, large tree branches, open lawn areas, and near garbage bins.What makes a good spot: elevated, visible surfaces (crows prefer to survey from height), near existing food sources, away from dense cover.Early morning and early evening are prime crow activity times. Step 2: Set Up Your Offering Station Murder mix has the ultraviolet glaze on one side. Look for the raised, clear glaze and leave that side up. Crows need a reason to approach initially. Murder Mix alone might eventually attract attention, but pairing it with food dramatically speeds things up.Best crow attractants: unsalted peanuts in the shell (the #1 favorite), hard-boiled eggs (chop them up), dry dog or cat food, unsalted sunflower seeds, fresh fruit chunks (avoid citrus), and meat scraps.Place food near (not mixed with) your Murder Mix. The food draws crows to the area, and while they're there, they notice the shiny objects.Feed at the same time daily if possible. Crows have excellent memory and quickly learn schedules. Step 3: Watch for Trinket Taking (And Maybe Gifts!) Do crows consistently choose certain colors or shapes first? Some enthusiasts report their birds have clear favorites.Watch for caching behavior (crows hide valuable items in gutters, mulch, or fence gaps) and sharing and teaching (adult crows showing trinkets to younger ones).The Gift Exchange: Documented crow gifts include bottle caps, buttons, beads, small shells, pieces of foil, and even coins and jewelry. If you receive gifts, acknowledge them! Pick up the item and show interest; crows watch for your reaction. Common Questions "Crows take the food but ignore Murder Mix." This is common early on. Crows prioritize nutrition over novelty. Keep offering both consistently."Other birds are stealing the food." Offer larger items crows can handle but smaller birds can't (whole peanuts, larger meat chunks)."I haven't seen any crows at all." Crow populations fluctuate seasonally. Keep your station maintained and be patient.Get Your Murder Mix Here 👉 https://bee-cups.com/collections/shop-page-all/products/murder-mix-gifts-for-crowsHave crow stories? Tag us on social media—we're always amazed by the incredible relationships our customers build with their local murders.