Frequently Asked Questions

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Cavity nesting bee hotels = Drilled native hardwood or pithy stems, hollow flower stalks, reeds and bamboo stuffed inside pvc pipe/tied in a bundle

Ground nesting bee hotels = simply bare patches of clay soil, or 1L UHT milk cartons/besser blocks/pot plants filled with a sandy clay mix.

The Ideal location for a bee hotel is at about eye level (1-2m high) and in an open area where there are flowering plants offering loads of nectar/pollen. 

Position the hotel to receive morning sun to stimulate foraging. Avoid shady areas. 

Store bought bee hotels will have cavities that are too short, too wide in diameter, useless/empty compartments.

Using treated wood is also a mistake as the goal of treated wood is to prevent insects and decomposers from destroying it. 

There is around 1640 species of bee that have been officially described as unique species.

Expert estimates of the true number of native bee species exceed 2000, there are new species being found every year. 

Land clearing of habitat and fragmentation into smaller isolated pockets

Climate change 

Competition from introduced species like European Honeybees.

Pesticides and insecticides which harm bees caught in the crossfire.

Climate change altering the time of the year that flowering plants are blooming, decreasing overlap in native bee activity.

Climate change is also causing bees to alter their distributions such as tropical bees moving away from the equator. 

I (Clancy) host workshops on native pollinators, bee hotels, urban biodiversity. 

@BuzzandDig, @MisStephanieArt, @theheartgardeningproject have also hosted successful workshops that I have attended. 

This is perfect for PlantingSeeds, a NGO with a biodiversity program has been co-developed with the Department of Education and the CSIRO. 

Running 4 x workshops = 1. local biodiversity learnings and outside biodiversity ‘hunt’; 2. Plants, pollination, etc followed by outside plantings; 3. Habitat info for birds, bees and other species followed by making homes for blue-banded bees; and 4. Citizen science learnings followed by outside observations. 

 I am an employed environmental educator for PlantingSeeds, and also run private workshops outside of this role. 

Indigenous flowering plants from the families – Myrtaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Proteaceae are usually the best. Some exotics like Salvia and Lavender are also good. 

To get a list of the best indigenous flowering plants in your area Refer to the Wheen Bee foundation – “Powerful Pollinator guides”. https://www.wheenbeefoundation.org.au/our-work/projects/powerful-pollinators/

Buzz pollination occurs when a bee grabs onto a flower and vibrates its flight muscles without flapping its wings. This vibration shakes the pollen loose from the flower's anthers, allowing the bee to collect it. This method is particularly important for flowers that don't release their pollen easily.

Bees have a different range of colours that they are able to see. Humans can see colours within the visible spectrum, from red, orange, yellow, green, blue to violet. Whereas bees are not as good at observing red colours, yet can see ultraviolet light which is invisible to humans. 

Bees love blue and purple flowers the most, and also enjoy yellows too.