Wild Bees and Nesting Habitat Welfare

Wild bees need diverse nesting habitats as well as flowers, and nesting site loss is a significant driver of wild bee decline with welfare and ecosystem consequences.

Key Facts

Over 70% of wild bee species nest in the ground, requiring bare or sparsely vegetated soil
Mining bees, mason bees, and leafcutter bees have distinct nesting requirements
Manicured lawns eliminate the ground-nesting habitat that supports most wild bee diversity
Dead wood and hollow stems provide cavity nesting habitat for solitary species
Wild bee abundance is more reliably increased by habitat than by placing commercial bee hotels

Welfare Considerations

Wild bee welfare is uncertain in terms of individual experience but unambiguous in terms of population-level ecological function. The decline of wild bee diversity reduces pollination services that all flowering plants — and the animals that depend on them — require. Creating appropriate nesting habitat by leaving areas of bare soil, reducing lawn intensity, and retaining dead wood costs nothing and can be done at any garden scale. These habitat investments benefit the broader welfare of ecosystems through maintained pollination networks.

What You Can Do

Leave areas of bare or sparsely vegetated soil for ground-nesting bees
Reduce mowing frequency to allow flowering plants that support foraging and nesting
Retain dead wood and hollow stems in your garden
Plant a diversity of native flowering plants with overlapping bloom seasons
Share information about ground-nesting bee habitat with others who garden for pollinators