by Emma Louise Oldham February 18, 2019

Spring is in the air and we can wait to welcome bumblebees back to our gardens.

These gorgeous crafty bees are super-easy to create. They’re the perfect decoration to turn into bracelets or gifts,or to hang up outside. So, let’s get creative!



What you need:

  • Alder cone
  • Scissors
  • A recycled clear cereal packet or plastic bag
  • Yellow thread/string
  • Twine (optional)

      What you need alder bumblebee


       

      What to do:

      Step 1: Wrap your yellow thread/string around the ‘body’ of your bee to give it its stripy pattern. Pull the string as tight as possible to keep it in place, and secure it with a strong knot.

      alder bumblebee

       


       

       Step 2: Cut out a pair of wings from your recycled cereal packet/plastic bag.

      Step 2 alder bumblebee

       


       

      Step 3: Twist your pair of wings at the centre a couple of times to make them stand up. Get a helper to hold them in place against the body of your bee while you wrap yellow thread or twine around the wings and body. Pull tightly and secure with a knot. 



    •  

      Step 4: Trim off any excess string from underneath your bee. Leave about 15cm of string on top so you can hang it up. Ta-da, you’re done! Now find somewhere fun to put your bumblebee.

      Step 4 alder bumblebee

       

      Top tip:Hang one outside your window to welcome the bees back this spring! 


       

      What is an alder cone?

      Alder cones are the catkins of black alder trees and look like tiny pine cones. They contain the alder tree’s seeds and can be picked from the tree or collected from the ground.

      Happy crafting!


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