We understand that talking about bees, their conservation and coexistence with us humans can be a difficult or even off-putting topic. They buzz too close, they sting, and for many people that is where the story ends. But there is so much more to tell. These small, often overlooked creatures are among the most important allies our ecosystems have — and learning about them is one of the simplest things we can do to prevent further harm to the world we share.

brdsBees are the most well-known animals among Hymenoptera, but they are not the only ones: bumblebees, wasps, hornets and even ants are part of this large group. We often think of bees as social beings, living in queen-led groups, producing honey and building hives — that is true, but we tend to forget about a large portion of organisms that lead solitary lives. There is an obvious difference between honeybees and solitary bees: the latter are not part of a swarm and spend the majority of their lives alone.

Some of them find shelter and lay eggs in natural cavities, others live underground, but in general they don’t build hives or produce honey. This is often considered a reason for not managing or protecting them. These incredible insects play an important role for us and the environment by keeping a complex, functioning system alive. Just imagine our flowering gardens — a source of forage and refuge for them, and a recreational space for us. Most of the vegetation that surrounds us exists thanks to the tireless pollination carried out by bees and other pollinators (birds, bats, butterflies, …); without their help, we could not enjoy many of the world’s landscapes.

Even though their value is known by many, their decline has been documented for decades. It is estimated that over the last five years there has been an annual decline of around 19% of all flying insects, and the situation may worsen as time goes on.

The key factors that causes the disappearance of solitary bees are:

• Farming practices, pesticides and vegetation removal interfere with nest construction and bees’ ability to find food and mates.
• Globally rising temperatures pose a serious threat to reproductive success.
• Smaller bees are more vulnerable than larger ones, just as solitary bees are more threatened than managed ones.

Undoubtedly, the most significant thing humans can do to protect bees, and pollinator insects in general, is to reconsider the way they act:

• Recognising the scarcity of information about them and taking action to gather new data for study.
• Raising awareness through media.
• Holding events in schools or at fairs — the important thing is to involve a broad audience.
• Reducing the purchase of food from supply chains that use pesticides.
• Promoting seasonal crop rotation, planting native species and allowing the natural succession of plant communities to take its course.
• Building artificial nests, the so-called “bee-Houses“ or “bee-hotels.” They can attract insects, provide support when resources are scarce and increase overall biodiversity.

If you want to build one, but you don’t know where to start, find below our guide to create a bee-house. 

How do small wooden houses serve as shelter for pollinators? A fair question to ask when approaching such an activity for the first time. First of all, it is essential to specify that not every artificial nest is suitable for solitary bees. The perfect Bee-House must possess particular features to ever be inhabited. We are talking about habitat type, proximity to a food source and materials used:

• Semi-natural habitats with native plants and a wide variety of floral resources are preferred over heavily developed areas.
• The materials used to build nests vary: you can use small logs in which to drill tunnels of different diameters (4 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm) or common reed stems.
• Find a dry and sheltered spot in which to hang it, so that other animals or wind cannot disturb the nest.
• Last but not least, a periodic check on the Bee-House is recommended in order to prevent parasites and damage from weather or larger animals — or simply to see if it has been inhabited.

It usually takes a little time before animals get used to human-made structures!

Getting to know some of the characteristics of bees’ lives can go a long way in their preservation. A seemingly small and simple gesture like building artificial nests is proof that you don’t have to be a “professional” to make a difference — solitary bees (and any other living being) will still benefit from our help.