Should I add a gourd?

[cchild03]

In my post yesterday, I mentioned that a subbie male has really taken an interest in my PM house the past couple of days after visiting sporadically for a couple of weeks. He has a female companion with him pretty much constantly, but she hasn't bonded with the house in any way. In fact, I haven't even seen her land on it. She came close a few minutes ago. I was letting the dogs out, and I saw the male sitting on the front porch of the house chattering away. She swooped in low and hovered right in front of him, but she didn't actually land. That's the closest I've seen her get to the house! So close, yet so far away!

Anyway, I have some S&K Bo gourds hanging from the new house I put up a couple of weeks ago. That house has all SREH whereas the old house that the subbie is expressing interest in has round. I hung the gourds under the new house because they have round entrances.

Would it do any good to hang one of the gourds under the house that the subbie is expressing an interest in in the hopes that the female might like that better? Or should I just leave well enough alone since the subbie male is obviously satisfied with the house the way that it is?

I'm probably making this way more complicated than it needs to be! They'll either stay or they won't!

Just FYI ... I see mostly standard PM houses in this part of Kansas. The past couple of years, I'm seeing more sites with gourds, but I'd say the majority of people just have the houses.

Thanks so much for your advice!

[Dawn~KS]

Candace, if you have more than one gourd, then by all means, put one or more under the other house. It sure can't hurt anything. It is very frustrating to have a male make it look so easy, and have the female not land. Been there done that! She really is the ticket as far as I am concerned. I had males over the years and some stayed a month..................but that is no good without the female (although it is nice to have them at least). The right one will come along. Just don't worry about finding the *exact* thing to make her stay (you can go crazy and spend a lot of money.....done that too), she either will or she won't (like you said)! Hoping the best..............I am still seeing subbies!

[cchild03]

Thanks, Dawn!

I'll move a couple of gourds to the old house ... you never know!