How to Make a Bee Hotel

Happy Earth Day! We’re not stopping at a day, we’ve turned it into Earth Week! Celebrate at home with easy to make bee hotel. The perfect place for a bee to rest its wings. Bee hotels help attract solitary bees to help pollinate your yard and garden. These aren’t the bees that make honey, but they’re just as important to the environment.

Thank you to our friends at Stonewall Apiary for consulting with us on this project and taking care of our bees!

Messy level: 1
(5 = Super messy. 1 = Not messy at all.)

Materials

  • Empty tin can
  • Brown paper bag
  • Twine or string
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Pencil or pen
  • Nail file (optional)

Instructions

1. Remove the label and clean your tin can. File down any sharp edges using a nail file.

2. Measure and cut 30 pieces of your paper bag. Each piece should be approximately 2-2.5 inches wide and be as tall as the height of your can.

 

3. Roll each piece of paper lengthwise. Each roll should look like a small straw/cinnamon stick. (Younger children may find it easier to wrap the paper around a pencil.) We found it helpful to put the paper into smaller cups while we rolled them all.

4. Add the rolled paper to your can until it is filled.

5. Wrap your can in twine or string and hang in a sunny spot in your yard. Your bee hotel is now ready for tenants!

– from the creative mind of Miss Rita

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