Yes, when they are designed, sited and maintained well. They are useful for some cavity nesting solitary bees, including mason bees and leafcutter bees. They do not help every bee species, as many solitary bees nest in the ground, and they are not suitable for honeybees or bumblebees.

No. Honeybees live in colonies and need a hive or a much larger natural cavity. A bee hotel is made for individual solitary bees that use small tubes or holes for nesting.

None. The workshop is designed for complete beginners. We explain the bee basics, show your team how to build the hotel and guide them through the parts that matter, such as tube depth, smooth entrances and where to place the finished shelter.

The workshop works well for small teams and larger company groups. We usually run it in pairs or small teams so everyone has a job to do. For bigger groups, we scale the materials, facilitation and judging format to suit the room and the timings.

A simple build can run in around 60 minutes. A fuller session with pollinator learning, quiz rounds, decoration and judging usually takes 90 to 120 minutes. We can extend it to 2 to 3 hours if you want a green space audit, planting discussion or donation build.

Yes. It is very indoor friendly and works in meeting rooms, conference spaces, atriums and office canteens. Outdoor space is useful if you want to discuss installation, but it is not required for the build itself.

The workshop is a seated tabletop activity and does not require athletic ability. We use pre cut materials and supervised low risk hand tools. Tell us about any access needs before the event and we will plan the layout, tools and tasks around your group.

The workshop does not use live bees. Your team builds empty nesting shelters and learns how solitary bees may use them after installation. This keeps the event suitable for indoor venues and for people who feel unsure around insects.

We provide the facilitator, pre cut frames or flat pack kits, hollow stems or tubes, fixings, tools, table coverings, decoration materials, pollinator quiz content and care cards. We also give guidance on where to install the finished hotels and how to maintain them.

You will need tables and chairs for the group, plus a waste or recycling point. If paints or glues are included, access to water for clean up is helpful. A screen can be useful for the short pollinator briefing, but we can run without one if needed.

Choose a sunny, sheltered position, with the entrances protected from heavy rain and not blocked by plants. A south east facing wall or fence is often a good choice because it catches morning warmth. Nearby flowers make the hotel much more useful.

Early spring is ideal because many solitary bees are starting to look for nesting sites. The workshop itself can run all year. Autumn and winter sessions work well as preparation, with the finished hotels ready to install before spring.

Look for sealed tube ends. Different solitary bees use different materials, so you may see mud, leaf pieces, resin or fine plant fibres closing the openings. It can take time, so do not worry if nothing happens straight away.

Solitary bees are generally not aggressive. Male solitary bees cannot sting, and females rarely sting unless they are handled roughly. The session does not involve live bees, and the care guidance explains how to observe occupied hotels without disturbing them.

Yes, poor design and poor maintenance can increase parasite or disease risks. That is why we focus on responsible design, smaller hotels, cleanable or replaceable tubes, smooth openings and clear maintenance guidance. Your team learns how to make something useful, not just decorative.

Yes. It is relaxed, easy to join and gives people a shared task straight away. It works well near the start of an away day, during a sustainability programme or as a calmer afternoon activity after more energetic sessions.