Help our bee populations and at this price, buy two!
Spotted this cute little bee house (also called a bee hotel) at Target in Parker this week for only $5 (at the entrance where inexpensive seasonal items are on offer).
Bees are important pollinators for many plants, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Providing a habitat like a bee house near your garden helps to increase pollination rates and can improve the yield and quality of your crops.
Bee houses can attract a variety of solitary bee species, which contributes to supporting a diverse range of pollinators in your area. In Colorado, we have over 900 bee species! Approximately 30% of those bees build nests in cavities, or tunnels, including bee hotels. Leafcutter bees and mason bees are among the most common bees seen nesting in bee hotels.
Bees are important pollinators for many plants, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Providing a habitat like a bee house near your garden helps to increase pollination rates and can improve the yield and quality of your crops.
Bee houses can attract a variety of solitary bee species, which contributes to supporting a diverse range of pollinators in your area. In Colorado, we have over 900 bee species! Approximately 30% of those bees build nests in cavities, or tunnels, including bee hotels. Leafcutter bees and mason bees are among the most common bees seen nesting in bee hotels.
Unlike honeybees which live in colonies, solitary bees nest individually. Installing bee houses helps the conservation of native bee populations by providing them with suitable nesting sites.
Many bee species are facing habitat loss and population decline due to factors such as urbanization, pesticide use, and climate change. Having a bee house provides an opportunity to learn about environmental stewardship and the role bees play in supporting local wildlife.
Where to locate your bee house: bees love places that get plenty of sunlight but are also sheltered from strong winds. They want a spot where they can raise their brood and store their honey without worrying about intruders.
Flowers nearby are a huge plus. Bees need nectar and pollen to feed themselves and their young, so having a variety of flowering plants and shrubs close by is like having a grocery store right next door.
A little peace and quiet goes a long way. Bees don't want to be bothered by loud noises or constant disturbances. They just want to go about their buzzy business in peace.
Maintain and clean: This is the most overlooked part of having insect hotel. Inspect your bee hotel at the end of summer to remove and clean dead cells. This will prevent mold and mites that would feed on the dead bees or larvae. Bring the insect hotel into cool dry area such as garden shed during winter to protect the untreated wood and other materials from wind, rain, and snow. Without timely maintenance and clean-up, a once-occupied insect hotel may not attract a new batch next season.
Replace when it is time: Insect hotels can degrade naturally after two or three years of use. Change the nesting blocks (often made of cardboard) or degraded parts every couple of years.
Note: sorry, but we have been unable to find this bee hotel online, so your best bet is to pop into Target to buy it.