Make your own Bee Hotel

On the 21st of April Samen Blokje Omdenken organised a bee hotel workshop in Wageningen in collaboration with the Green Office. It was a huge success! Making a bee hotel is a fun activity that helps contribute to biodiversity and nature. Bee hotels can be of any shape and size, and placing them in nature will provide bees with a place to thrive. So what are you waiting for? Follow these simple steps below to make your own !

Step 1: Build your frame

Cut a plank of wood into five pieces. Three pieces should be of equal size, forming the rectangular frame upon which the roof will rest. For the other two pieces, one should be slightly longer than the other one. These will form the roof. Screw these together to create your frame. Alternatively, you can use a single wine box as a frame for a smaller but equally useful bee hotel.

Step 2: Filling your frame

Once the frame has been constructed, you now need to fill your frame. Here you can use reeds, bamboo canes and/or hollow stems. The most important thing is that these items are hollow and natural, meaning they will not damage the bee. You may need to cut your reeds, bamboo canes and hollow stems to fit inside your frame. You can also place your hollow organic material into used tin cans, which can be screwed into the frame. If you do use cans, make sure the edges are sanded down to remove potential hazards for the bees.

Step 3: Fastening the inside of the frame

To fasten the materials inside the frame, you can use rope, organic clay or screws. Ideally, you want to fill up your frame so the materials inside do not have much room to maneuver. If it is filled enough, you often do not need to

use anything to fasten the items. Once the inside is fastened, your bee house is complete!

Placing your bee hotel outside:

There are two main things that are important when placing your bee hotel outside. First of all, it should be a relatively dry place that receives enough sunlight. The wood should not get too wet, because the holes may fill with water, causing mold to grow. Secondly, the hotel should be placed out of the wind, as wind can disturb the bees movements.

Also, you should ensure that the area you place the bee hotel in is suitable for bees ! Are there enough blooming plants and loose ground? Is the ground a bit bare? Sow some bee-friendly plants!

Post your bee hotels on our Instagram, using the #SBO!

The best bee hotel wins a prize ! ;)