Bee hotels, seeds and books
A short, sensible list. Nothing here is essential: flowers and a bit less tidying do most of the good.
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Bee hotels & nest boxes
- Solitary bee hotelsLook for one with tubes or blocks you can take out, clean or replace. Put it somewhere sunny and sheltered, then leave the bees to it.
- Replacement nesting tubesHandy for keeping a bee hotel fresh from year to year.
Seeds
- Wildflower seed mixes for beesNative mixes suit your local bees best. Check what’s in the packet and where the seed comes from.
- Bee-friendly flower seedsFor pots, window boxes and borders. Look for packets that say they’re good for pollinators.
Watching
- A 10x hand lensFor the small stuff. Many solitary bees are tiny.
- Close-focus binocularsWatch bees on flowers without getting close.
Books
- Bumblebee field guidesLearn the common species in your area.
- Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and IrelandThe standard UK guide to bees, solitary ones included.
- The Bees in Your BackyardA popular guide to North America’s bees.
- A Sting in the TaleDave Goulson’s book about bumblebees and their decline.
- Bee books for childrenPicture books and first nature books about bees.
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Looking for something bee-shaped for yourself? Have a look at the ReallyByte shop on Etsy.
Bee printables
Fact-checked PDFs in A4 and US Letter.
Visit the ReallyByte shop on Etsy
Free sample
Bee-Friendly Garden Action Pack
Garden bee survey, planting planner, bee hotel guide and certificate
Bee Life Cycle & Anatomy Worksheets
Labelling, life cycles, castes, waggle dance and quiz, with keys
Bee-Watching Journal & Pollinator Count Log
Ten-minute flower counts, sightings log and seasonal journal
Best valueThe Complete Bee Printables Bundle
All six packs, A4 and US Letter. Everything above in one download.