Wildlife

Wild Bee Pollinator Nesting Habitat

The welfare of wild solitary bees through provision of nesting habitat in gardens, farms, and urban environments.

Key Facts

Over 250 species of bee occur in the UK, most of them solitary species
Solitary bees nest in bare ground, hollow stems, and beetle borings in wood
Many solitary bee species have declined due to loss of nesting habitat and floral resources
Bee hotels provide nesting habitat but require correct construction and siting
Leaving garden areas unmanaged with bare soil and dead stems benefits many species

Welfare Considerations

Solitary bees that cannot find nesting sites fail reproductively. While invertebrate welfare science is developing, the scale of bee population decline and the ease of providing nesting habitat makes it a high-impact, low-cost welfare and conservation action.

What You Can Do

Leave areas of bare ground and dead stems in your garden for solitary bee nesting
Install correctly constructed bee hotels in sunny, sheltered locations
Avoid pesticide use that kills or impairs bees and their developing larvae