Why a bee hotel needs morning sun, not all-day glare
Solitary bees choose nesting cavities by temperature and shelter, not by decoration. A hotel fixed to a shaded north wall stays cold into spring, so females delay nesting and tubes can hold damp. The practical fix is a south- or east-facing spot that receives direct morning sun and is screened from prevailing rain. Mount the unit 1.5–2 m above ground, clear of dense shrubs, so the entrance stays visible and dry. This single placement decision matters more than the number of tubes in the hotel.
Pre-mount checks that prevent early losses
- Check the wall for vibration: a loose fence or shed panel can dislodge developing larvae.
- Leave 30–50 cm of clear air in front of the nesting holes; tall grass and pots reduce access.
- Keep the hotel away from bird feeders and nest boxes, which concentrate predators nearby.
- Confirm the fixing points can carry the unit’s wet weight, especially after winter storms.
A common cause of failure is mounting the hotel at eye level on a busy path. Passing traffic and repeated knocks disturb nesting females, and the disturbance is easy to mistake for low occupancy. Move the unit to a quieter wall before spring emergence rather than waiting for bees to abandon it.
Installation sequence for a stable, dry hotel
- Mark the fixing holes with the hotel held level; a 2–3 mm tilt forward helps rain run off the roof.
- Drill and plug the wall, then tighten the top fixings first so the unit hangs without twisting.
- Add a small rain hood only if the wall is exposed; avoid wrapping the hotel in plastic, which traps moisture.
- Clear cobwebs from the entrance tubes after mounting, but leave nearby dead stems for overwintering insects.
The wildzy approach is useful here because it treats the hotel as part of a habitat patch, not a standalone ornament. A dry, sunlit installation beside native flowering plants gives bees a nesting site and a nearby food source within the same short flight path.
Seasonal maintenance that improves next year’s occupancy
Clean the hotel in late autumn, after nesting is complete and before frost hardens debris. Remove loose frass and spider silk with a dry brush; never wash the tubes or use cleaning chemicals. Replace cracked or damp nesting inserts, and store spares dry. Healthy occupancy shows capped tubes, mud seals and leaf plugs, while a hotel full of empty, dusty holes usually signals poor siting or a lack of nearby forage. Record what you see each spring; two seasons of notes reveal whether the wall, shelter or planting needs adjusting.