Solitary Bee Houses

Bees are not only fascinating but crucial to biodiversity and the food chain. Many species of solitary bees have declined because of the lack of suitable habitats. We help cavity-nesting solitary bees with bee houses, which can provide much-needed shelter.

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  • Interactive Solitary Bee Hive; Leafcutter egg cells; A bees new home; Solitary bee house in the garden Interactive Solitary Bee Hive; Leafcutter egg cells; A bees new home; Solitary bee house in the garden

    Interactive Solitary Bee House

    £27.95
    £27.95
    • Attractive: designed specifically to attract garden friendly pollinating bees
    • Durable: made from long-lasting strong timber
    • Interactive: constructed with a perspex viewing window
  • A pile of bamboo tubes for bees Bee Tubes Wooden; Bees using Wooden Bee Tubes; Leafcutter Bee

    Mason Bee Tubes

    From £8.95
    From £8.95
    • Natural: clean-drilled wooden mason bee tubes
    • Popular: mason and leafcutter bees love them
    • Caring: provides a habitat for vital pollinators
  • Replacement bee nesting tubes for refills or home projects; Leafcutter bee flying with nesting material; Leafcutter bee with leaf Replacement bee nesting tubes for refills or home projects; Leafcutter bee flying with nesting material; Leafcutter bee with leaf

    Bee Nesting Tubes For Solitary Bees x 94

    £10.95
    £10.95
    • Easy Use: simply hang on a south facing tree, wall, or fence
    • Multi-use: these cardboard tubes can be used as refills or in case supplied
    • Seasonal: ideal for use by bees from late March to late August
  • Mason Bee Nest Box with Tubes; Mason Bee Nest Box with Tubes Mason Bee Nest Box with Tubes; Mason Bee Nest Box with Tubes

    Mason Bee Nest Box with Nesting Tubes

    £29.95
    £29.95
    • Protective: a perfect home for pollinating mason bees and other solitary bees
    • Attractive: a delightful design with nesting tubes for mason bees
    • Easy assembly: supplied fully assembled with approx. 94 bee nesting tubes
  • Eco Bee Nester; Wildlife World Eco Bee Nester; Eco Solitary Bee House; Eco Bee Nester leafcutter bees Eco Bee Nester; Wildlife World Eco Bee Nester; Eco Solitary Bee House; Eco Bee Nester leafcutter bees

    Mason Bee Eco Nest Box

    £19.95
    £19.95
    • Exceptional: one of the most beneficial bee nesting products on the market
    • Re-usable: plastic-free weatherproof plant fibre casing can be used year after year
    • Safe and secure: a predator baffle prevents birds from eating bee larvae
  • national trust insect house National Trust Insect Tower

    National Trust Insect Tower

    £49.95
    £49.95
    • Multi-Species Design: Designed to cater to multiple beneficial insects, while remaining an attractive garden feature
    • Recommended by Buglife: "A really well designed and practical selection"
    • Enhanced Pollination: Supports essential pollinators, including at risk solitary bees
  • bee nesting tubes natural bee tubes

    Refill Bee Nesting Tubes

    £8.95
    £8.95
    • Pack of 30 tubes
    • Consistent: size and depth, with no sharp edges, ensures all tubes are used by bees
    • Safe: By using new tubes each year, you help reduce disease and parasite infestations 
    • Sustainable: renewable and compostable card construction
  • Bee Barn on white background Bug & Bee Barn; Solitary bee house insect habitat; class=lazyload lazy-hidden img-responsive" data-src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/ELaLSBXtAgs/0.jpg">

    Bee Barn

    £18.95
    £18.95
    • Attractive: a delightful garden focal point for watching all the summer activity
    • High-quality: made from solid sustainable timber with recycled second-life plastic
    • All year round: provides summer nesting and winter hibernation habitat for insects
  • Beneficial Insect Habitat attached to a cream garden wall with bushes surrounding Benefical Insect Habitat

    Beneficial Insect Habitat

    £24.95
    £24.95
    • Attractive: 100% sustainable sturdy timber
    • Essential: an ideal feature in every wildlife friendly garden
    • Protective: wire mesh prevents birds and other predators from entering
  • Woodstone Matias Bee & Insect Hotel insect house
    NEW

    Woodstone Matias Bee & Insect Hotel

    £22.95
    £22.95
    • Attracts beneficial pollinators to boost garden health
    • Made from very long-lasting, frost proof WoodStone® material
    • Ideal for solitary bees, ladybirds, and lacewings, comes complete with bamboo nesting tubes
  • Woodstone insect and bee hotel Woodstone insect and bee hotel in the garden
    NEW

    Woodstone Insect Block - Black

    £39.95
    £39.95
    • Versatile: install flush within a wall or hang externally via the built in hook
    • Effective: attracts vital, pollinating insect species, loved by solitary bees
    • Durable: made from durable, long lasting WoodStone® material
  • woodstone insect block insect house in the garden
    NEW

    Woodstone Insect Block - Yellow

    £39.95
    £39.95
    • Versatile: install flush within a wall or hang externally via the built in hook
    • Effective: attracts vital, pollinating insect species, loved by solitary bees
    • Durable: made from durable, long lasting WoodStone® material

Showing 1-12 of 12 products

Many people know little about this type of bee but as well as bumblebees and honey bees that are social bees and live together in colonies, there are over 220 species of wild bees in the UK. Known as solitary bees, these bees make individual nests cells for their larvae. This is often in hollow stems of dead plants or garden bamboo or in tunnels and holes in the ground. Solitary bees are harmless, not aggressive and rarely sting, so they are safe with children and pets.

Welcome solitary bees into your garden

Common solitary bee species seen in UK gardens include red mason bees and leafcutter bees. These bees are extremely effective pollinators. We have a range of products designed so solitary bees can visit, nest and return to your garden each year.

Interactive Solitary Bee House
Solitary Bee House Tower
Bee & Bee Hotel
Natural Bee Log
Mason Bee Eco Nest Box
Mason Bee Tubes

How to attract bees to a bee house

Place your bee house in a warm, south-facing position, well above the ground. Ideally this will also be near plenty of nectar-producing plants, flowers and trees. Many solitary bees may check into the house and live side by side. They lay their eggs in the hollow cavity with a small supply of food for the larvae to eat before sealing the entrance with mud. The eggs hatch into larvae who feed on the pollen until the new bees emerge the following spring.

As well as a house, bees will need a source of water, so have a small water basin with stones in or leave a shallow bowl of water for them.

FAQs

Find answers to our most frequently asked questions.

If you cannot find the answer to your query within these FAQ’s please call our customer service team on free phone 0800 085 4865 between 9.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.

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Outside of office hours please complete the form on our Contact Us page and we will respond to your request within 1 working day of our return.

Do solitary bee houses actually work?

Yes, solitary bee houses can provide valuable nesting sites for solitary bees when positioned in a suitable location. Place the bee house somewhere sunny and sheltered, ideally facing south or south-east, with flowering plants nearby to provide a good source of food. Avoid damp, shaded or heavily sheltered positions where the entrance may remain wet. Choosing the right location is often more important than the price or size of the bee house.

How long before bees move into bee house?

Solitary bees may move into a new bee house within days, but it can also take a season or two for nesting activity to become established. Some species tend to return to the area where they emerged, so a new bee house may take time to attract its first occupants. Putting your bee house up before spring gives emerging bees an opportunity to find it. Red mason bees, for example, typically become active from March onwards.

What makes a bee house good for bees?

A good bee house should provide secure, dry nesting spaces that are suitable for solitary bees. Look for one with a solid back, a roof to help protect the entrance from rain, and tubes or nesting chambers that can be removed and replaced for hygiene. The house should also be firmly fixed so it does not move in the wind. Replaceable nesting tubes can make it easier to maintain a clean, suitable home for bees year after year.

Will they solitary bees sting? Are they safe around children?

Solitary bees are generally very docile as there is no colony to defend. Female solitary bees of some species can sting, but they rarely do so and are not considered aggressive towards people. As with any wildlife, children should be encouraged to observe bees without handling them. A bee house can provide a fascinating way for children to watch solitary bees nesting and emerging in the garden.

Which bee house should I choose?

The right bee house depends on what you want to provide and how you plan to use it. For observing solitary bees up close, the Interactive Solitary Bee House has a perspex panel and lift-up lid. The Mason Bee Eco Nest Box has removable tubes and a baffle designed to help protect nesting bees from birds. If you want to support a wider range of beneficial insects, the National Trust Insect Tower and Beneficial Insect Habitat can also provide shelter for species such as ladybirds and lacewings.

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