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Create a Nesting Habitat for Cavity Nesting Bees

Ireland has around 100 native bee species, 80% of which are solitary bees. Approximately 20% of solitary bees build their nests in cavities in the likes of stones, bricks and wood. Common examples are mason bees and leafcutter bees.

Where: 

  • In a sunny spot, preferably sheltered from the prevailing winds
  • Usually, at least 1 -2 m above the ground. This could be on a post, fence or wall. If using larger logs on the ground, keep the grass short immediately in front, and around them so they don’t become swamped in vegetation.
  • Sites where suitable flowers are present within a few hundred metres for the bees to feed on as the solitary bees don’t travel too far from their nest.

When: Anytime

How:

To Buy: You can buy ready-made bee ‘hotels’ for cavity nesting bees – the best ones are about the size of bird-box, with holes or tubes that are at least 10cm deep.

OR

To Make: 

  • Take a log or block of untreated wood that is at least 16 cm long and drill holes into it that are 10 – 15cm deep and vary from 4 – 10m wide. Drill in the direction of the grain and don’t drill too close to the edges. Holes of different sizes will be able to cater for different bees. Another option is to drill holes in the trunks of dead standing trees that will mimic the exit holes of wood boring larvae.
  • To prevent the bees from damaging their wings, remove any splinters at the entrance with a countersinking drill bit or sandpaper.
  • Adding a small roof and having it tilted slightly forward will help stop water from entering the nest holes.
  • You can also create a bundle of bamboo tubes tied together or inserted into a piece of pipe – (simply drill out the internal divisions in the bamboo and block the rear with clay). Pack them into a plastic pipe (or similar) that is a few centimetres longer than the bamboos.
  • Installing a number of small boxes is better than one large one because it minimises the risk of disease and predation.
  • Do not use any pesticides in your garden.

Benefits: Because solitary bees are less efficient at carrying pollen, they tend to drop more than honeybees or bumblebees as they move from flower to flower. Ironically, this makes them far more effective pollinators than the larger, often more visibly numerous, bees. For info on how to support ground nesting solitary bees, visit our page on how to ‘Create Nesting habitat for mining bees’.