Key Takeaways
- Provide a variety of natural tube sizes and nesting materials to attract different bee species.
- Place the bee hotel in a sunny spot, facing southeast and 3 to 5 feet high.
- Proper maintenance by cleaning out nests in autumn or spring and replacing damaged tubes will allow the hotel to last for years.
- Solitary bees are safe, docile pollinators important for gardens and the environment.
- Observing a diversity of pollinating insects at the bee hotel can be an enjoyable learning experience.
Why a wild bee hotel DIY project? Because bees are incredibly important pollinators for home gardens.
Unlike domesticated honeybees, wild bees pollinate crops and other plants for free, and studies show that gardens with greater wild bee diversity have higher pollination rates and increased fruit set on flowers and vegetables.
Native wild bees help gardens thrive by transporting pollen from the male to the female parts of flowers, allowing plants to produce fruits, seeds, and the next generation of plants.
Providing a habitat for native bees can increase the productivity and biodiversity of any garden.
This guide will explain how to build a bee hotel to attract and support wild bee populations, enriching your garden’s ecology.
Building a wild bee hotel also allows gardeners to observe these fascinating creatures up close.
So, let’s get to work. Here’s everything you need to know for a wild bee hotel DIY project:
Table of Contents
Planning Your Wild Bee Hotel
Planning and preparation are the first steps in building a DIY wild bee hotel. This involves deciding on the best location, collecting suitable materials, and designing the right size and shape for your hotel.
When choosing a location, consider placing your bee hotel in a sunny, south-facing spot protected from strong winds.
Bees prefer warmer temperatures, so make sure it will receive sunlight for much of the day.
Position it near flower gardens, trees, or other food sources to attract hungry bees. Mount the wild bee hotel on a post, fence, or wall at least 3-5 feet off the ground. Avoid damp areas or locations that could get wet.
For materials, you’ll need untreated, non-toxic wood. Pine, fir, cedar, bamboo, or hollow plant stems are good options.
Related: 23 Best Plants and Flowers for Attracting Bees in Your Garden
Avoid treated lumber since the chemicals can transfer to bees. Hardware cloth, burlap, cardboard tubes, drilled wood blocks, reeds, and clumps of leaves or straw work well too.
Just ensure there are holes or tubes between 1⁄4 and 1⁄2 inches for bees to nest in.
When designing your hotel, make it around 4-8 inches deep with various-sized tubes, holes, and textures. This gives bees options for their preferred nesting habitat.
Larger hotels attract more bee residents. Add a sloped roof to protect the hotel from rain.
How To Choose the Perfect Location for Your Wild Bee Hotel
When choosing where to install your bee hotel, sunlight, shelter, and height above ground are vital considerations.
According to Best Bee Brothers, the ideal location will have morning sun exposure and partial shade in the afternoon, allowing the tubes to stay warm but protected from extreme heat.
Bee hotels should also be sheltered from heavy rain and strong winds. A porch, overhang, or eave on a house’s east, southeast, or south side often provides suitable conditions.
Related: Bee-friendly garden for every season: A beginner’s guide
In terms of height, Best Bee Brothers recommends installing the hotel 3-5 feet off the ground. At the same time, NC State Extension says to place it at eye level or slightly above for easy monitoring.
It is ideal to mount it on a post or wall where it won’t be disturbed. Selecting the right location will encourage bees to visit and successfully develop brood cells.
Best Materials for a Bee Hotel DIY Project
The materials you select for your wild bee hotel DIY project will impact how well it functions.
Bees prefer certain materials, shapes, and sizes for nesting tubes and cavities.
According to the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension, you should only use natural, breathable materials like untreated wood, bamboo tubes, and paper or cardboard tubes.
Avoid plastic, metal, or glass tubes, as these don’t regulate moisture or promote healthy brood development.
Some suitable materials include:
- Untreated pine, cedar, or cypress wood – these have natural anti-fungal properties. Drill holes into wood blocks in various diameters between 1/4″ – 3/8″ for bees.
- Hollow plant stems like bamboo, elderberry, milkweed, and cup plant. Cut these to tubes 4-6 inches long.
- Paper straws, cardboard tubes, or rolled and stacked paper. Paper materials will need to be replaced annually.
- Clay pots, overturned flower pots, or wooden blocks with drilled holes also make good nesting sites.
Aim for various tube diameters and materials to attract diverse bee species to your wild bee hotel. Monitor your hotel to see which materials the bees prefer.
Bee Hotel DIY – A Step-by-Step Guide
Building the Frame
A sturdy frame is essential for supporting the weight of the bee hotel and protecting the nesting tubes inside.
The frame should be made out of untreated, unpainted wood or bamboo.
Hardwoods like oak, cedar, and cypress are ideal because they resist decay. Avoid using pallet wood since it can contain chemicals.
The frame should have a roof to protect it from rain. Sides are also recommended for stability and to provide darkness inside the tubes, which bees prefer.
Related: How to Design and Build a Bee-Friendly Garden: Essential Tips
A backboard can be added as well. The overall dimensions can vary, but a typical size is around 12″ deep x 5″ wide x 6″ high.
Small holes can be drilled in the back and sides for ventilation and drainage.
The frame pieces should be securely joined, using wood glue, screws, nails, wire, or a robust natural fiber like sisal. Having a solid structure will help the hotel withstand years outdoors.
Hang the hotel by screwing a metal eye hook or loop of wire into the backboard before loading the tubes.
Adding the Tubes
The tubes provide the actual chambers where bees will nest and raise their young.
You can use a few different options for the tubes, including drilled wood, bundles of bamboo, reeds, or commercially available paper tubes.
When using drilled wood, common choices are pine, cedar, and bamboo blocks.
Drill holes that are approximately 5/16 inch in diameter and 3-5 inches deep. The holes should be smooth inside without splinters. Space the holes about 3/4 inch apart in staggered rows.
Related: Bumblebee Pot: A Garden Essential You Never Knew You Needed
Another good option is bundles of bamboo stems, which provide natural tubing for the bees.
Cut the stems to around 6 inches long and bundle them together with wire, string, or zip ties. Make sure the interior septums are removed so the tubes have a clear path through.
Paper tubes specifically made for solitary bees are a convenient choice you can buy. Look for tubes made of heavyweight paper, waxed cardboard, or recycled paper.
The diameter is usually 5/16 inch. These come in bundles and can simply be inserted in the holes or slots of your bee house.
Filling the Bee Hotel
Once your bee hotel frame and tubes are installed, it’s time to fill it with nesting materials that will attract solitary bees.
Bees have natural nesting instincts, so providing the right materials is key. The best materials to fill your bee hotel include:
- Mud – Solitary bees like mason bees use mud to build dividing walls in the bee tubes. Leave an area of bare soil near your bee hotel so the bees can gather their own mud.
- Leaves – Leafcutter bees will collect leaves to line their nesting tubes. Make sure your hotel has leaf debris, or add shredded leaves. Using leaves from nearby trees is best.
- Straws – Many solitary bees line their nests with straw or hollow plant stems. Cut dried stems like bamboo or reeds into short segments and add them to your bee house.
- Petals – Some bees may line nests with flower petals. Make sure your bee hotel has flowers nearby so material is available.
The right nesting materials will encourage solitary bees to enter your custom hotel. Monitor your hotel and replace materials as needed. For even more information on how to build and maintain your own wild bee hotel, Utah State University has a pretty comprehensive guide, too.
Your efforts will be rewarded by seeing happy bee residents!
Installing the Hotel
Once your wild bee hotel DIY project is complete, it’s time to install it in your garden. There are a few options for mounting your hotel:
Option 1: Hanging
You can hang your hotel from a tree branch, hook, or anything that allows it to hang securely. Make sure it’s at least 3-5 feet off the ground and gets morning sun. Face the entrance holes southeast if possible.
Option 2: Mounting
Attach the bee hotel to a wall, fence post, shed, or garage exterior wall. Again, make sure it gets morning sun and has the holes facing southeast.
Mount it 3-5 feet off the ground. Drill screws through the back into the mounting surface.
Option 3: Freestanding
Place the wild bee hotel on a post, stand, or stack stones or bricks to elevate it off the ground. Have it facing southeast in the morning sun. Make sure it’s secure and won’t easily blow over.
Option 4: Sheltered
Position the hotel in a sheltered location away from heavy rain or wind. Under the eaves of a roof or porch, it works well.
No matter how you install it, ensure the hotel won’t get wet inside. Face the holes toward the morning sun, where bees like to be active. Choose a quiet spot away from areas of high activity.
How to Maintain your Wild Bee Hotel
Proper maintenance of a wild bee hotel is essential not only for the health of the bees that use it but also to extend the hotel’s life.
Cleaning out old cocoons and nesting materials in autumn or early spring is recommended. This will prevent disease and allow the tubes to be fresh for new residents in spring.
Carefully open the back of the bee hotel and gently brush out old nesting materials and cocoons into a bowl. This should be done carefully to avoid damaging the nesting tubes.
The tubes can be cleaned with a pipe cleaner if needed. Then, refill any empty tubes with fresh bamboo or nesting materials.
Replace any nesting tubes that are moldy, cracked, or otherwise damaged. Aim to replace about 1/3 of the tubes yearly as they naturally deteriorate over time.
Proper cleaning and maintenance will allow your bee hotel to remain functional and safe for bees for many years.
Just be sure not to disturb any active nests during the spring and summer months when bees are present.
Enjoying Your Bee Visitors
Your very first bee hotel DIY project is now 100% done. Now it’s time to lay back and enjoy your first bee visitors. The rewarding part comes as you start seeing bees taking up residence!
Getting acquainted with the different types of bees that may visit can help you identify your new guests.
Solitary bees are docile, gentle creatures that will cause no harm. Observing them as they go about their work is an enjoyable pastime for any nature lover.
Some species you may spot are mason bees, leafcutter bees, carder bees, and mining bees.
Related: 8 Garden Bee Species You Want to See in Your Yard
Mason bees use mud to build dividing walls between the chambers. Leafcutter bees cut circular pieces of leaves to build their nests. Carder bees card plant fibers like hair to line the nest. Mining bees burrow tunnels in the ground.
In addition to solitary bees, you may see other pollinators as well, such as hoverflies, wasps, and butterflies.
Having a diverse range of pollinating insects visits your garden enhances pollination and improves crop yields.
They are also simply delightful to watch as they go about their work. Observe patiently and respect their space as they nest.
Like all pollinators, solitary bees are essential for pollinating wildflowers, crops, and home gardens.
Supporting native bees provides free natural pollination services that would cost billions to replace artificially.
Providing a habitat for bees creates an oasis, enabling them to thrive. Your efforts make a difference!
Frequently Asked Questions about Wild Bee Hotel DIY
What materials should I use for a wild bee hotel DIY project?
Use only natural, untreated wood, bamboo, paper, and cardboard tubes. Avoid plastic, metal, and treated wood.
What size tubes should I use to build a wild bee hotel?
Aim for various tube diameters between 1/4″ to 1/2″ to attract different bee species.
How deep should the tubes be?
Tubes should be 3 to 6 inches deep.
How do I attract bees to my wild bee hotel?
Place the hotel in a sunny spot near flowers and facing southeast. Provide mud, leaves, straw, and petals as nesting materials.
How high should I install the hotel?
Install the hotel 3 to 5 feet high, at eye level, or slightly higher.
How should I maintain the hotel?
Clean out old nesting materials and replace damaged tubes in autumn or early spring. Replace about 1/3 of the tubes each year.
Can I disturb active nests?
Do not disturb active nests during spring and summer. Only clean out the hotel in autumn or early spring when bees are less active.
How long will a wild bee hotel last?
With proper maintenance, a bee hotel can last for many years. Some natural deterioration of materials is normal over time.
Are solitary bees safe to have around?
Yes, solitary bees are docile and will not sting unless provoked. They are safe to have around gardens and homes.
What species of bees may use the hotel?
Common bees that use hotels are mason bees, leafcutter bees, carder bees, and mining bees. Other pollinators like wasps, hoverflies, and butterflies may also visit.