Knowledgebase

Bee houses #866991

Asked May 04, 2024, 10:01 AM EDT

Are bee houses good or bad in my garden? Do you have to be concerned about disease transmission? Do bees like to be close together or would they like a solitary situation? Thank you

Leelanau County Michigan

Expert Response

Thanks for your interest in stem nesting bees! 

MSU has a guide to help you build and manage native bee hotels: Building and Managing Bee Hotels for Wild Bees.

North Carolina State also has a helpful guide: How to Manage a Successful Bee Hotel.

MSU's tip sheet also has relevant information: Smart Gardening: Invite pollinators by creating a smart habitat.

Although stem nesting bees are solitary (not eusocial like honey bees and bumble bees), many stem nesting bees are gregarious and build nests closes to each other. 

It's great if you are able to incorporate native bee habitat into your garden. If you choose a native bee house/hotel/motel, we suggest maintaining it and switching out tubes as described in the guides linked above to reduce disease build up and transmission. You may also choose to just leave stems in your garden to create natural areas for stem nesting bee nests.

Loading ...