Wild bee populations need diverse nesting habitats including bare soil, hollow stems, and sandy areas that are increasingly rare in managed landscapes.
Nesting habitat limitation prevents wild bee populations from reaching their potential even where food resources are adequate. Individual bees that cannot find suitable nesting sites fail to reproduce, reducing welfare at both individual and population levels. Simple habitat creation including leaving bare soil patches, maintaining log piles, and avoiding soil compaction provides essential nesting resources that complement wildflower planting for food.