How to Set Up, Protect & Support Wild Bees

The Rewild Refuge Bee House is designed to provide nesting habitat for wild, cavity-nesting bees and beneficial wasps in natural areas, parks, community spaces, or your own backyard. Natural reeds are a bee’s preferred nesting material, and the Pollinator Pack includes a mix of sizes so every bee can find the right fit.

Use the BeePOP wayfinding sticker like a neon sign to help bees find their new home. The Bird Guard keeps birds away while allowing bees to come and go freely. Together, this simple setup helps support pollinators beyond your own yard — right where they are needed most.

Setting Up Your Rewild Refuge

Choose a location with permission if needed. Once installed, take a photo and jot down details like location, date, and surrounding habitat for future reference. Think like a bee—consider their natural needs.

• Place near flowers, shrubs, or garden beds where wild bees forage.
• Install about 5 feet (1.5m) above ground for protection and visibility.
• Face the house South to Southeast to capture morning sun, with afternoon shade in hot regions.
• Avoid areas with pesticide or chemical use — wild bees instinctively avoid treated spaces.

Hold reed tubes with the open ends facing out and insert them all the way to the back of the house to protect them from rain. Use sticks to wedge materials tightly so they cannot be pulled out. Make sure the Bird Guard is secured in front.

Expanding the Learning Experience

One of the best ways to explore your local pollinator species is using our Where the Wild Bees Are search tool. It helps identify which cavity-nesting bee species live in your area, when they are active, and what nests they prefer.

Fall and Overwinter Care

When daytime temperatures cool to around 60°F / 15°C, most wild bees and beneficial wasps have completed nesting. They leave behind their offspring, safe inside their cocoons, to hibernate through winter.

To protect those developing bees:

• Remove and store only a portion of filled nesting material for protection. Leave most reeds in the bee house as part of the natural habitat.
• Bundle stored reeds by diameter (6mm, 8mm, etc.) and by end-cap material (mud, leaf, resin, pebbles, etc.).
• Store in an unheated, unconditioned garage or shed with natural outdoor-like temperatures: cool, dry, and pest-protected.

Use our Capped End Guide to help identify which species may be nesting in your house.

Following Year: Bee Release

In spring or early summer (depending on species), move your stored reeds into your backyard bee house or warm outdoor space to allow bees to emerge naturally.

• Band similar-size reeds together and orient with closed ends facing inward.
• Make sure you have fresh, openable nesting reeds ready. Never reuse filled reeds from past seasons.
• Allow bees to emerge and establish new populations in your yard or chosen habitat.

We hope you discover your local wild bees and help spread pollinator habitats across your community.