Build a Bee Hotel

Spid is an avid apiculturist, supporter of World Bee Day, and he loves honey. Especially in the form of Bid’s amazing honeybee cakes. He knows that pollinators are increasingly threatened by habitat loss, unsustainable agricultural practices, climate change and pollution. Their decline jeopardises food production, increases costs and exacerbates food insecurity, particularly for rural communities. So Spid is doing his bit by hosting bees, planting wild flowers, not mowing his lawn during May, and leaving grass and flower borders around the lawn free for pollinators. You can do the same by building a bee hotel for bees in your garden. The instructions are contained in our free download.

What you need to build a Bee Hotel:

🥫 A clean, empty tin can or half a plastic bottle (ask an adult to help)
🎋 Bamboo canes, straws, or rolled-up paper tubes
✂️ String or ribbon or a screw
🖍 Decorations (optional!)
🧤 Gloves for safety
📦 Cardboard or scrap wood (for the back)

How to Build a Bee Hotel:

1. Clean your tin can or plastic bottle – Make sure there are no sharp edges. (Ask a grown-up to check!)
2. Cut your bamboo canes or straws so they are just a little shorter than the can.
3. Fill the can or bottle with your canes or straws, packing them in tightly. This is where the bees will snuggle in!
4. Fix the straws – Glue or tape the straws together so they don’t fall out.
5. Decorate! – Add fun designs or paint a bee on the outside.
6. Find a sunny spot – Place your bee hotel somewhere warm and dry, like a fence or tree (not too high).
7. Place the hotel: By tying a string around the can or bottle or screwing it to a fence or tree.

Spid’s Top Bee Tips!

🐝 Use natural materials – bees love things that feel like home.
🌸 Plant bee-friendly flowers nearby – like lavender, daisies, and sunflowers.
🚫 Don’t disturb the bees once they’ve moved in – they’re busy buzzing!

Take a Picture and Share!

Spid would LOVE to see your bee hotel!

Send us a photo and we might feature here on Spid’s Bee Wall of Fame. Or add it to social media with the hashtag #spidthespider

Remember – little things like bee hotels make a BIG difference. Just like Spid and Bid, you can help the planet one buzz at a time!

Read more about Spid’s honeybee keeping in Spid the Spider Helps Bid Open a  Bakery (the Honey Bee Bakery!). It publishes on July 7th 2025 and is available to preorder now and we’ll make sure it arrives with you by July 7th!