Habitat for Solitary Bee

Habitat for Solitary Bee

Peyton Wartell
Nerea Feliz Studio

Sand dunes and coral reefs inspired the design of this habitat. This design incorporates a variety of solitary bee hole sizes: ⅛", ¼", and ⅜" in diameter.

Meet the Pollinator

• Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica)

  Learn more about the unique lifestyle of the Eastern carpenter bee. Voiced by Kit Schneider.

  Transcript ›

  I am an Eastern carpenter bee. I only have a little bit of time to talk, so I’ll try to make this quick!

  I look a bit like a bumble bee, but our lifestyles are very different. I live with my family inside a hunk of wood. I started my nest by chewing a hole into the cleanest, straightest piece of cedar wood I could find.

  Using my powerful mandibles, I can dig about one inch of tunnel per day. My offspring live in one tunnel, my food goes in another, and I have other tunnels for the female bees who are here helping me out. When I’m not digging, I collect pollen from many different crops and flowers to feed everyone.

  My two years of life have been tough. But my little nest has grown large, and I did my best to make it as cozy as possible.

  Okay––gotta go! Bye!

See all Pollinator Lounge habitats  ›