Top 5 Reasons Bees Aren’t Nesting in Your Bee House
“Why aren’t my bees nesting?” is one of the most common questions we receive from bee raisers.
We understand how frustrating it can be to set up safe nesting habitat for cavity-nesting bees, only to have them fly off and nest somewhere else. Sometimes we can do everything right, and they still choose a different spot. Bees are wild animals, and we can’t (and shouldn’t) expect them to nest in a bee house just because we want them to.
Crown Bees BeeSafe™ Nesting Design Standard
Our best-practice framework for safer cavity-nesting bee habitat (focused on bee health, not just garden décor).
- Sealed at one end so pests can’t sneak in through the back
- Breathable materials that dry out after rainstorms
- Easy to open so you can harvest cocoons and reduce pests and disease
- Bee-sized tunnels and length for healthy nesting success
- Replaceable or cleanable nesting so problems don’t build up year after year
If bees aren’t nesting, the fix is often in placement, stability, and nearby resources. Use our setup guide to confirm the basics.
Quick “Is anything happening?” checks
Emergence is temperature-dependent and varies by region and year. Once bees do emerge, it can take up to two weeks before you’ll see activity at your bee house. Females have to mate, find a safe nesting site, and begin building from the very back of the nesting cavity (which can be hard to see).
At night, you can gently peek into nesting materials with a flashlight. Females often sleep facing out to protect their eggs. If they’re inside, you may see tiny faces peering back. Don’t do this too often, or bees may fly off due to repeated disturbance.
- Females resting in or near nesting cavities early morning or around dusk
- Mud-capped ends
- Yellow pollen marks around nesting openings
Also check hollow plant stems, holes in decks or siding, between bricks, and cracks in raised beds or foundations. Mason and Summer Leaf bees use existing holes and do not cause structural damage.
1. Not enough mud or soft, deciduous leaves
Mason bees build and cap their nesting chambers with mud. If they don’t have a reliable source nearby (within about 25 sq. ft.), females often won’t nest. Not just any mud will do—mason bees prefer mud with a high clay content (similar to modeling clay). Read: The Importance of Mud.
Summer Leaf bees (leafcutter bees) use cut leaf and flower pieces to protect each nesting chamber. If they don’t have a reliable source nearby (within about 30 sq. ft.), females may choose a different nesting site.
They prefer soft, flexible leaves and petals (alfalfa, clover, buckwheat, roses, peas, lamb’s quarters, lilac, redbud trees, hostas). Read: Providing Leaves for Leafcutter Bees.
Helpful link: Shop nesting materials
2. Lawn and garden chemicals
Bees (and other beneficial insects) are sensitive to chemical scents from lawn and garden treatments and may fly off in search of more suitable nesting habitat.
Even if you refrain from using pesticides, chemical drift from neighboring lawns and gardens can still affect your yard. When possible, ask neighbors not to spray while your bees are nesting.
3. Not enough flowers nearby
Did you know each female mason and Summer Leaf bee can visit up to 2,000 blossoms a day? Take a look at your open blooms. Do you have enough pollen and nectar resources to support the pollinators in your garden?
Solitary bees usually forage within about a 300-foot radius of their bee house. If flowers are too far away or blooms are sparse, bees may decide to nest elsewhere.
Providing a diversity of native flowering plants that bloom across the season helps. Read: Native Plants for Pollinators.
4. House installation issues
A sturdy bee house mounted to a solid object (like a post, home, or fence) is the foundation of safe nesting habitat. Solitary bees prefer a house that protects them from wind and rain.
- Best: south to southeast facing for morning sun
- Cool spring climates: consider more all-day sun exposure
- Hot spring climates: make sure the house gets afternoon shade for mason bees
- Hot summer climates: consider shade most of the day for Summer Leaf bees
If you choose shade, don’t hide the house behind branches. Bees orient better when the house is easy to spot from a distance.
- Mount securely (bees do not like swinging in the breeze)
- Place near open blooms (within their foraging range)
- Install around eye level, about 5 ft (1.5 m) off the ground
Wind matters, too. If you live in a consistently windy area, choose a sheltered spot. We’ve found bees sometimes nest elsewhere if it’s windy while they’re selecting sites.
Pro Tip: If you must move a bee house, do so at night when bees are inside their nesting cavities, so they can re-orient in the morning.
5. Weather timing
Both Mason and Summer Leaf bees use temperature cues to emerge and trigger development. If temperatures aren’t consistently in range, activity can be delayed.
Mason bees are ready to emerge once daytime temperatures are consistently about 55°F / 13°C or above. Make sure you don’t release mason bees until daytime temps reach this range.
Summer Leaf bees need average daytime temperatures of about 75°F / 24°C or above. As with mason bees, don’t release until conditions are warm enough.
Climate change can lead to warmer winters, earlier springs, and more extreme weather. Learn how to help solitary bees during extreme weather: Climate Change: It’s Bad for Bees.
Example bee house setups (photos)
A few real-life examples of bee houses paired with bee-safe nesting materials.
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