How to Build a Bee Hotel: A Gardener’s Guide

A bee hotel

Bee hotels offer a simple way to support solitary bees, nature’s often-overlooked pollinators, in your garden. If you’ve ever admired the abundance of blooms or enjoyed a bumper crop of beans and berries, you already know the value of pollinators. Unfortunately, these gentle, solitary bees struggle to find good nesting sites, especially in developed areas like many neighbourhoods across Sooke and Vancouver Island. By building a bee hotel, you can create shelter for these vital insects while inviting a new dimension of discovery into your garden.

What Makes a Bee Hotel So Valuable?

Solitary bees, including mason bees and leafcutter bees, don’t live in hives, but instead lay their eggs inside hollow stems or small crevices. Unlike honey bees or wasps, solitary bees are non-aggressive and rarely sting. Providing them with a proper home means more pollination for your flowers and edibles, plus support for local biodiversity. Watching them work can be a fascinating experience for the whole family!

Gathering Your Materials

Making a bee hotel doesn’t require special tools or expensive supplies. You can likely find many needed items around your home or garden. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Clean, dry bamboo canes or other hollow plant stems (5–8in/13–20cm long, with 2–10mm diameter openings)

• A tin can or small wooden box (avoid treated wood)

• Sharp gardening shears or a hand saw

• Natural fill: twigs, pine cones, leaves, or cotton

• String, twine, or wire for hanging

• Untreated hardwood blocks for drilling (optional)

• Safety gloves and goggles

Step 1: Preparing the Nesting Tubes

Begin by cutting your bamboo or other hollow stems so they fit just inside your chosen can or box. One end of the stem should be closed off—either naturally by a node or blocked with natural material, as bees prefer to nest in dark, closed spaces. Remove any loose inner pith using a skewer or thin stick to make each tube clean and inviting. Cut stems in different diameters within the 2–10mm range; assorted sizes will attract a variety of bee species.

Step 2: Assembling the Hotel

Once prepared, pack your container with these tubes so the open ends face outward and the closed ends rest against the back. The tubes should fit snugly and not fall out if you turn the container upside down. Fill any remaining space with loose twigs, pine cones, or leaves to provide extra nooks and support. If you want to add hardwood blocks, drill holes 3–6in (7–15cm) deep with diameters between 3–10mm, spacing each hole at least 2cm apart. Make sure you don’t drill all the way through the block—each hole should have a closed back.

Step 3: Securing and Placing Your Bee Hotel

Ensure that all nesting tubes are firmly in place. Use twine or string if necessary to keep everything secure. Find a good spot in your garden to install the bee hotel: at least 1m (3ft) off the ground and facing east or southeast to catch the morning sun. Shelter it from the worst of rain and wind: under an eave, against a fence, or nestled among shrubbery works well. Avoid nailing the structure directly to a living tree if possible: posts, sheds, or sturdy walls are ideal.

Step 4: Ongoing Care and Encouraging Bee Visitors

It may take a little while for bees to discover your hotel, so be patient. Keep the area pesticide-free, and plant a variety of native flowers nearby to offer food for your emerging tenants. Many bees also use mud or water to seal their nesting tubes, so having a mud patch or a shallow water source nearby is a bonus.

Each year, once you see that young bees have emerged - usually by late summer - clean out and replace any tubes that look moldy or splintered. This routine care keeps your bee hotel healthy and prevents disease build-up.

Building a bee hotel is an easy, rewarding project for any gardener. It provides safe nesting spots for crucial pollinators, supports your garden’s health, and offers endless enjoyment as you watch the interplay between wild bees and their new home. Get creative with your design, involve the whole family, and take pride in helping Vancouver Island’s gentle pollinators thrive.

With Love,

Artisan's Garden