Bee hotels — sometimes called insect hotels or solitary bee houses — provide nesting cavities for the native bees that do most of the heavy pollination work in home gardens. Unlike honey bees, solitary species such as mason bees and leafcutter bees do not live in colonies and cannot make their own nest holes. They rely on existing cavities: hollow stems, cracks in wood, gaps in mortar. A well-sited bee hotel dramatically increases native bee numbers and, with them, pollination rates in vegetable beds and fruit trees.
What to Look For When Buying
The most important specification is tube diameter. Different bee species prefer different sizes. A range of 5mm to 10mm covers the majority of common mason and leafcutter species. Tubes should be smooth inside — rough surfaces damage bee wings. Paper liners inside the tubes are a significant advantage; they can be removed each winter for cleaning and to check for parasites, then replaced. Avoid bee hotels with too-deep tubes (more than 150mm is excessive) or with materials like pinecones and drilled cork that do not provide usable cavities. For more on supporting pollinators in the garden, see our guide to attracting bees to your garden.
Placement: The Most Important Factor
Placement determines whether bees use the hotel or ignore it. Face the hotel south or south-east to catch morning sun — solitary bees are cold-blooded and need warmth to become active. Mount it at 1 to 1.5 metres above ground, which puts it at flight height for most solitary species. The front of the hotel must be sheltered from rain; even a 2-inch overhang prevents moisture penetrating tubes and causing mould. Within 50 metres of flowering plants is ideal — bees will travel further, but close proximity to food increases usage reliably.
How to Install
Mount the hotel firmly to a wall, fence post, or purpose-built post using screws, not wire — wire allows the structure to swing in wind, which disturbs nesting bees. Level installation matters: tubes should be perfectly horizontal or angled very slightly downward at the entrance so water drains out rather than pooling inside. Use wall plugs and screws rated for outdoor use. Do not allow the hotel to wobble once installed; vibration causes females to abandon nests. Install before the main mason bee flight period, which typically begins in early spring as temperatures consistently reach 10°C (50°F).
Annual Maintenance
In late autumn, once all tubes are sealed, remove paper liners and store them in a breathable paper bag in an unheated shed through winter. This protects cocoons from woodpeckers and freeze-thaw damage. Return tubes in early spring and add fresh empty ones to replace those filled the previous season. Never disturb occupied tubes during summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do bee hotels attract honey bees?
- No. Honey bees are social and require large cavity spaces for their colony. Bee hotels with small tubes specifically attract solitary mason bees, leafcutter bees, and similar species.
- Where should I not install a bee hotel?
- Avoid north-facing walls, deeply shaded positions, spots with high foot traffic, and locations where the hotel will be regularly disturbed. All of these suppress usage.
- How quickly will bees move in?
- A well-sited hotel in a garden with flowering plants is often occupied within the first season. If no activity occurs after one full summer, try relocating it to a sunnier or better-sheltered position.
- Can I make my own bee hotel?
- Yes. Bundles of hollow bamboo canes of mixed diameters packed into a wooden frame are among the most effective designs and cost almost nothing to build. Ensure canes are dry, clean inside, and cut flush at the entrance end.