{"id":23145,"date":"2025-11-03T14:28:42","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T13:28:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterflybox.com\/?p=23145"},"modified":"2025-12-22T14:45:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T13:45:55","slug":"solitary-bees-pollinators-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betterflybox.com\/en\/2025\/11\/solitary-bees-pollinators-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Focus on solitary bees: these little-known pollinators that need protecting"},"content":{"rendered":"

When we say \u2018bee\u2019, we immediately think of the hive, the queen and honey. However, did you know that 90% of wild bee species do not produce honey and live alone?<\/p>\n

As we saw in our guide to the inhabitants of the insect hotel<\/a>, these discreet bees are nevertheless essential to the survival of your garden. Here’s why you should definitely pamper them.<\/p>\n

1. They are harmless (no stings!) This is the first thing to know to reassure parents. With no honey to defend, solitary bees are not aggressive.<\/p>\n

Did you know? Most males don’t even have a sting. So you can watch them come and go in front of your insect hotel with your nose pressed against it without any risk.<\/p>\n

2. Pollination champions A solitary bee is often much more efficient than a honeybee. For example, the red mason bee (a species commonly found in hotels) emerges as early as March, even when it is cool (12\u00b0C). According to a study reported by National Geographic<\/a>, a single mason bee can pollinate as many flowers as 120 worker bees! They are vital for your fruit trees (apple, cherry).<\/p>\n

3. The winning combination: shelter and food Installing a BetterflyBox hotel provides \u2018shelter\u2019 (tubes for laying eggs). But for them to settle in, they also need \u2018food\u2019 (nectar).<\/p>\n