- Greetings from the garden, and welcome back to Let's Grow Stuff .

My name is Ben and today, we are at Aldo Leopold Nature Center in Monona, Wisconsin to talk about habitats for insects, specifically, bee hotels.

So let's jump in and get started.

[upbeat electronic music] Well, today I'm joined by Nicky Mondroski, one of the Environmental and Nature Preschool Educators here at the nature center.

Nicky, what do you have with you today?

- Hey, Ben, nice to meet you.

This is a bee hotel!

A safe habitat is one of the most important basic needs for insects.

Insects like pollinators can really benefit from having a bee hotel in your yard.

- Ben: That's right.

Pollinators like bees carry pollen from one flower to another and are responsible for about 35% of the food that we eat.

So you can thank a pollinator for one in every three bites of food that you take.

- Yes, and not a lot of gardeners realize that there are things that we can do to help entire species of insects thrive in our gardens.

Having water sources in your garden, planting native plants, and even deciding to keep some flowering weeds as food sources can be really helpful.

- About 30% of the 5,000 different types of bees native to North America are solitary, which means they live in above-ground cavities and tunnels.

They don't produce honey and they aren't defending a hive, which means they're less aggressive, but they are just as important as all other insects because of their roles as pollinators.

- That's exactly right.

So let's you walk through how to make your bee hotel.

Start by gathering materials.

Solitary bees like long, deep cavities to nest in, so things with hollow stems like bamboo or stems of last year's perennials work great.

You can also drill holes in small logs or branches.

Use any hardwood that's untreated.

Drill several holes of different sizes to attract as many species as possible.

Don't drill all the way through the wood, and if you're using hollow plant stems, make sure they have a back.

Next, create small bundles with these materials, about 4 to 8 inches in diameter.

Tie them together with a non-toxic, biodegradable material like twine.

Place them in sheltered spaces out of direct sun and away from harsh winds, about three feet off the ground.

- Ben: Most solitary bees nest in spring, so don't wait to get this out.

You'll know by summer if you have any resident bees because the holes will be covered up with mud or leaves to protect the baby growing inside.

Well, this has been a great introduction to bee hotels, and it's important to realize that they also take management in the long term.

And for more information about this, visit the Xerces Society online or contact your local nature center.

Nicky, thank you so much for joining us today to share your expertise.

- You're welcome, Ben!

- Don't forget, there is more to learn at pbswisconsin.org/letsgrowstuff.

There, we have more videos, tips, and tricks and a blog to help you grow a better garden.

So until next time, happy gardening.

- Announcer: Funding for Let's Grow Stuff is provided by American Transmission Company, Ganshert Nursery and Landscapes, Willy Street Co-Op, Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programming, and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.