How to make a bee hotel

In this No Fuss video guide, wildlife gardening expert Kate Bradbury shows how to make a simple bee hotel that solitary bees will nest in. Having made a small wooden house, she adds a range of hollow stems gathered from the garden, including fennel and sunflower, as well as bamboo canes, to ensure the holes are different sizes for different species of bee. She also explains where to position the bee hotel in order to attract as many visitors as possible:

Follow our step-by-step guide to making a bee hotel, below.

You Will Need

• A plank of untreated wood or ply at least 10cm wide
• Hollow stems such as reeds, bamboo canes or old flower stems
• Wood saw
• Drill
• Screws
• Secateurs
• A mirror fixing for hanging the hotel

Step 1

Cut the plank into four pieces to make a rectangular frame for the bee hotel. Drill guide holes for the screws and assemble the frame as if making a box. Paint the wood if you would like to and allow to dry.

Step 2

Use secateurs or a saw to cut your stems to the same depth as the box. A saw is preferable to secateurs for thicker stems as the stems are less likely to split. Sand away any rough edges.

Step 3

Carefully pack the frame of the bee hotel with the stems – only as you add the final few does the whole lattice lock solid. Hang your bee hotel on a sunny wall, sheltered from the rain, and wait for the mason bees to investigate.

Kate Bradbury says

Leafcutter bees typically use rose, beech and wisteria leaves to seal the individual brood cells in the hollow stems. Why not give them a helping hand by growing these plants in your garden? You’ll quickly see when your hotel is in use as you’ll spot bees carrying pieces of leaf to seal their brood cells.