BUILDING BEE HOTELS ACROSS CANADA,
BECAUSE BEES-IN-NEED DESERVE REST INDEED.
WHAT IS POLLINATION?
Simply put, pollination is the movement of a pollen grain from the anther (the male part of a flower) to the stigma (the
female part of the flower) - this is how plants fertilize their eggs that develop into seeds that will germinate into the next
generation of plants.
Some plants can self-pollinate, but most need something to move their pollen. This can happen by wind, water or animals!
Pollinators are animals that move pollen. They visit flowers to drink nectar or collect pollen, and while they are there they
get covered with pollen. Bees are the best pollinators because they collect pollen to feed their babies – and inevitably drop
some! As bees, move from flower to flower they drop some pollen, and pick-up some more – and the flowers get pollinated.
HOW POLLINATION HELPS PLANTS GROW:
stigma
anther
seeds
polinator
pollen
pollen
pollen
petal
egg
flower
flower
flower
stem
stigma
stigma
stigma
anther
anther
anther
seeds
seeds
seeds
polinator
polinator
polinator
fruit
petal
petal
petal
egg
egg
egg
fruit
fruit
fruit
stem
stem
stem
leaf
leaf
leaf
leaf
roots
1
roots
roots
roots
When a bee visits a
flower to get nectar
or pollen, she lands on
the petals and works her
way down to the nectaries
(which are usually at the
base of the flower), or she
crawls all over the anthers
to collect pollen. Bees
take pollen and pack it on
their pollen baskets, which
are either on their legs or
on the underside of their
abdomen.
2
3
Bees visit many flowers
in a day to get enough
pollen and nectar. As
they move from flower
to flower, they drop
some pollen, and pick
up some new pollen.
4
After the egg is
fertilized it grows into
a seed. A seed contains
an embryo (the young
plant), a food source
for the embryo, and a
seed coat to protect the
embryo. The fruit that
we eat grows around
the seeds to protect
them further. Pollination
results in seeds and
fruits.
Pollen that gets left
behind fertilizes the
egg. A grain of pollen
that lands on the stigma
starts to germinate and
grows a pollen tube
that reaches the egg.
Once the pollen tube
reaches the egg it can
be fertilized.
COMMON BEE-FRIENDLY FLOWERS, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO PLANT IN YOUR GARDEN:
TOMATO
ASTERS
CUCUMBERS
PHACELIA
WWW.WILDFORBEES.CA
MINT
LAVENDER
BUILDING BEE HOTELS ACROSS CANADA,
BECAUSE BEES-IN-NEED DESERVE REST INDEED.
HAVE YOU THANKED A BEE TODAY?
Look around you: nearly every tree, plant, fruit and vegetable in your sight is the product of animal
pollination. Bees are the most effective animal pollinators of all; they travel from plant
to plant, flower to flower, to help buds bloom and keep the ecosystem in sync.
DID YOU KNOW...
Pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of over 80% of our
flowering plants. In the absence of bees, many plants – and the animals that
eat them – would simply die off. One-third of the food humans eat is the
result of animal pollination!
Bees keep our ecosystem in check and provide well over $217 billion
worth of crop pollinating services across the world! Our plants (and
pocketbooks) depend on a healthy bee population.
WHY ARE CANADIAN BEES UNDER THREAT?
UNHEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS
Pollinators have to contend with toxins,
pests and diseases in their surroundings,
which impact their health and their ability
to forage.
LOSS & FRAGMENTATION OF HABITAT
The greatest threat to bee populations is
loss and fragmentation of habitat. Without a
place to find food, water and nesting sites, bee
populations could suffer to the point of extinction.
COMMON POLLINATOR BEES
BUMBLEBEE
SWEAT BEE
MINING BEE
LEAF CUTTING BEE
WWW.WILDFORBEES.CA
CARPENTER BEE
BUILDING BEE HOTELS ACROSS CANADA,
BECAUSE BEES-IN-NEED DESERVE REST INDEED.
WHAT IS A BEE HOTEL?
A bee hotel is a sustainable resting space for solitary bees,
which make up over 90% of the bee population and work
independently to spread pollen from plant to plant, flower
to flower. While other types of bees, like honeybees and
bumblebees, typically work and nest in groups, solitary bees visit
flowers and nest individually.
All across the world, populations of solitary bees are declining.
Habitat loss and fragmentation are a leading cause, and we’re
working harder than ever to support Canadian solitary bees, in
all their buzzing glory. The WILD FOR BEESTM bee hotels will
provide solitary bees with a place to rest their weary wings.
HOW DO YOU MAKE A BEE HOTEL?
NATURAL MATERIALS
Gather natural materials from
your area: hollow or pithy
plant stems work great, as
well as old untreated wood
scraps. Solitary bees make
their nests in tunnels in the
ground or in these materials.
DEPTH & DIAMETER
Bees are rather finicky;
almost every species prefers
a different sized opening.
Try to find stems or drill
holes 20 cm in length, with
an opening of a maximum
of 1 cm in diameter. Bundle
these together in a wood
box or another container even a milk carton works!
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SHELTER & MAINTENANCE
Place your bee hotel a few
feet off the ground to ward
off animals (and young
children!). Keep your bee
hotel exposed to the sun, but
protected from rain. Finally,
don’t forget to replace the
stems every couple of years;
it’s best to make the switch in
early spring or very late fall,
when baby bees have grown
enough to survive a shift in
their surroundings.