Mason Bee House / Pollinator Hotel
A small wooden box filled with hollow tubes that invites gentle, solitary mason bees to nest and pollinate your garden.
Estimated cost
$10 – $25
Estimated time
30 – 45 minutes
Lifespan
3–5 years (tubes should be replaced each season)
Soil needed
None — mounted structure
Weight empty
2–4 lbs
Weight full
Negligible
Best for
Attracting native mason bees, leafcutter bees, and solitary pollinators
Placement
Mount on a south- or southeast-facing wall or fence, 5–7 ft high, with morning sun. Place within 300 ft of flowering plants.
Boards to Buy
| Boards to Buy | Quantity | What You Use Them For |
|---|---|---|
| 1×6 cedar or pine board, 2 ft | 1 | Back and roof |
| Paper straws or 5/16-inch drill bit | 30–50 tubes or holes | Nesting tunnels |
| Wood screws, 1.5 inch | 4 | Mount to wall |
- ·Optional: scrap wood for side walls
- ·Optional: exterior wood sealant (outside only)
Steps
- 1Cut a back board about 6×8 inches and a roof board about 7×6 inches.
- 2If using drilled holes, make them 5/16 inch in diameter and 5–6 inches deep. Do not drill all the way through.
- 3If using paper straws, bundle them tightly and tape the back ends together so they stay put.
- 4Attach side walls if desired, leaving the front open.
- 5Screw the roof on with a slight overhang to shed rain.
- 6Mount the house 5–7 ft high on a wall or fence facing morning sun.
- 7Place within 300 ft of fruit trees, berries, or flowering vegetables.
- 8Replace tubes each year to keep parasites and mites from building up.
Tools needed
- ·Drill with 5/16-inch bit
- ·Saw
- ·Sandpaper
- ·Screwdriver
Common mistakes to avoid
- ·Using bamboo with nodes still inside — bees cannot reach the back
- ·Mounting in full shade or where rain drips into the tubes
- ·Forgetting to replace paper tubes each year — pests build up
- ·Drilling holes too large or too deep
Maintenance tips
Replace paper tubes each spring. Move occupied tubes to a cool garage over winter and put fresh tubes out in early spring.
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