In Britain, there are around 250 species of bees, and around 250 of them are solitary. This solitary bee is called the tansy bee or plasterer’s bee. They often nest in soil or sand. So this is why it’s important when you build a bee hotel, you mix a bit of sand and soil and place the logs on top.
Unlike the tansy bee or plasterer’s bee, this tree bumblebee will live in a colony of up to 150 to 200 workers serving the queen.
How to Build a Bee Hotel
Step 1: Drill the Logs
Using drill bits from 2mm to 8mm, drill a variety of different sized holes into untreated logs or wood. Angle the holes slightly upwards to prevent rainwater entering and to mimic natural nesting sites.
Step 2: Arrange the Bee Hotel
Place the logs together with different hole sizes and angles. You can also add sand and soil nearby for ground-nesting bees.
Once complete, it should look like this: a variety of different sized holes in different logs at different angles. And now we wait until the end of summer to see if any bees have laid in it