Activities & Days Out / 22 April, 2019 / Nanny Anita

DIY Bee Hotel

Did you know there are around 270 species of bees in the UK! Out of those 270, 250 of them are solitary bees that do not live in hives. As I am sure all of you have heard, our bee numbers are dwindling. Over the past decade one-third of our bee population has disappeared! For this years Earth day I have made a DIY bee hotel to help encourage solitary bees into our garden by providing them with a place to nest.

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To make your own DIY bee hotel you will need:

• A container*
• Bamboo
• Secateurs
• Twine

*I used a plastic plant pot, but you could also use a milk carton that has been cut down.

Cut your bamboo down to size so that it fits into your container. Make sure that the inner cavity of the bamboo is clear. This is where the bees will make their nests.

When you have enough bamboo to fill up your container, tie some twine around the pieces of bamboo to secure them together. Then place them into the container

When your bee hotel is ready you need to put it in an area that gets the full sun, so facing south or south east. Your DIY bee hotel should be at least a metre off the ground and have no vegetation blocking the entrance.

Hopefully your bee hotel will soon be full of cavity-nesting bees like Mason bees, Leafcutter bees, or Yellow-faced bees.

How that you have your DIY bee hotel why not make a watering station for them.

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