Native Bee Nesting Box

Support native bees in your backyard with native plants AND nesting sites!

These native bee nesting boxes are built by a local craftsman of long-lasting 3/4" cedar. Unlike the commonly available nest boxes, these are decorative, sizable, durable, and the nest tubes are removable in order to allow for annual cleaning and disinfecting to ensure the health of your bees. 

In spring and summer, mason bees and leaf-cutter bees construct nest chambers within the tunnels. Each chamber is provisioned with a single egg and enough pollen to feed the larva after it hatches. Chambers are sealed with mud or plant material. After growing throughout the summer, the larva pupate inside the chamber where they remain through the winter. Adult bees emerge the following spring to repeat the life cycle. 

Placement and Maintenance

Nest boxes should be mounted three to six feet above the ground and oriented with the entrance facing south or east. In order to prevent the spread of disease, nesting tubes should be replaced each year. In early spring, old tubes with occupied nests should be removed and placed in an "emergence box". An emergence box consists of a small wood or plastic box with a 1/2" hole cut in the side. Adult bees will emerge and exit through the hole, where they will then nest in the newly replaced tubes in the nesting box. The emergence box prevents bees from re-using tubes from the previous year which may harbor disease. 

Style Options

Post Style - measures 7.5" wide x 6.75" deep x 31" tall and is designed to be mounted on top of a 4" x 4" post. A great option for gardens with limited mounting surfaces. 

Wall Mount - measures 15.5" wide, 7.25" deep, and 15.5" tall and is designed to be mounted to a wall or fence.