Welfare Science

Solitary Bee Welfare and Nesting Site Provision

Solitary bees are highly diverse pollinators whose welfare depends on abundant nesting sites and floral resources that are increasingly scarce in managed landscapes.

Key Facts

The UK has over 270 species of solitary bee, ranging from tiny mining bees to mason bees
Most solitary bees provision individual brood cells with pollen and nectar, then die before offspring emerge
Loss of bare ground and dead wood reduces nesting sites for mining and mason bees
Solitary bees do not produce honey or wax and cannot defend colonies

Welfare Considerations

Parasitism of nests by cleptoparasitic bees causes larval starvation. Nest destruction through landscaping and tidying reduces reproductive success. Welfare considerations remain largely unexplored for solitary bees.

What You Can Do

Leave areas of bare, south-facing soil for mining bee nesting
Install bee hotels with a diversity of tube sizes and natural materials
Avoid landscaping work in early spring before solitary bees have finished provisioning