NC State Extension Publications

 

This quick-reference list summarizes the best practices suggested throughout the document.

  • Nesting tunnels of breathable materials, not plastic or glass
  • All tunnels have smooth entrances, free of splinters
  • Paper and cardboard tubes used only as liners in sturdier tunnels
  • Total number of tunnels in a bee hotel under 100
  • Nesting tunnel diameters 5/64″–1/2″
  • Nesting tunnel lengths around 6″ (3″–8″ is reasonable and other lengths could be good for some species)
  • Tunnel entrances spaced about 3/4″ apart, perhaps with contrasting color patterns or 3D configuration
  • Tunnels are in a shelter that overhangs the nest entrances by a couple of inches
  • Shelter floor has drain holes
  • If (and only if) birds, rodents, or other predators become a problem, a sheet of chicken wire goes over the nest entrances
  • Shelter is about 5 feet off the ground
  • Tunnel entrances are intentionally oriented relative to sun and wind; facing southeast is often recommended
  • Nesting blocks or reeds are staggered by about 3/4″ so that not all nest entrances are in the same plane
  • The shelter itself, or the fronts of nesting blocks, may incorporate yellow, blue, or white paint
  • Hotel may be mounted on a larger structure such as a shed
  • Nest materials are not moved or rearranged while in use (only in winter or at night if you must)
  • Landscape includes flowers for nectar and pollen
  • Landscape includes nesting resources (mud, sand, resin, leaves; see Appendix 2)
  • Flowers and nest construction materials are available within about 1/10 to 1/4 mile from the nests
  • Nest materials are emptied using an emergence box, then retired or disinfected with bleach every one to three years

Table A1-1. Threats and Countermeasures.

Threat Countermeasure
Woodpeckers or other birds
  • Protective housing (chicken wire covering on shelter)
Pathogens (mold or fungal infections)
  • Select breathable nest materials (no glass or plastic)
  • Retire or disinfect nest materials regularly (every 1–3 years)
Parasitic mites
  • Retire or disinfect nest materials regularly (every 1–3 years)
Parasitic wasps
  • Select natural materials (wood, stems, reeds) for hotel cavities (safer than paper (Dicks et al. 2010))
  • Provide cavities with thick walls (some parasitic wasps can penetrate through 3/4″ of wood)
Cuckoo bees
  • Cuckoo bees and some parasitic wasps will be impossible to avoid. Natural bee populations regularly lose 10%–30% of their offspring to parasites (Wcislo 1996; Groulx and Forrest 2018; Tepedino and Parker 1983). You can expect similar losses, even in a well-maintained hotel.

Authors

Assistant Professor and Extension Urban Ecology Specialist
Applied Ecology
Local Foods Coordinator - Local Foods

Publication date: July 6, 2022
AG-915

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