Lee Valley Solitary Bee Home

It’s widely recognized that bees play a vital role as pollinators; what’s not so well known is that the majority of bee species create solitary nests rather than large beehive colonies.

To help support wild populations, this bee home provides a safe place for solitary bees to lay their eggs – a crucial factor in areas where human development has led to habitat loss. These nonaggressive bees have a direct benefit on your garden by pollinating many types of flowering plants nearby.

Designed in collaboration with Dr. Jessica Forrest, a native bee specialist at the University of Ottawa, the bee home is handcrafted in Canada from white oak to last outdoors for many years. About 6 3/4″ × 2 3/4″ × 7 1/4″, it contains eight nesting blocks with different cavity sizes to accommodate various North American bee species. Each block consists of two parts held together with strong, UV-resistant elastic bands, so they can be separated for cleaning after the nesting cycle is complete. Stainless-steel mounting hardware is included, along with a guide that provides tips on placement and care.

The guide also suggests flowers you can grow to help attract bees to the area. With the right conditions, bees should begin to nest in the home within the first year. Once their eggs hatch, successive generations of bees should continue to use the nest – and benefit your garden – year after year.