Tangles & Tails: Tracey Kiff-Judson's Blog

Bee Hotel

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Category: Blog

We recently visited the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC. 

While strolling through the gardens, we came across this fascinating structure: a bee hotel! 

The accompanying sign explains …

Text from the sign:

Bee Hotel

Welcome to the Air Bee & Bee, the Arboretum’s bee hotel!

Did you know? Out of the 21,000 species of bees in the world, only 10% are honeybees and other social bees.  The rest are solitary bees, which do not produce honey or live in nests.  Instead, these bees live in the ground or cavities in trees and stems.  Since they do not make honey, solidary bees do not have pollen baskets on their body.  This means they drop more pollen than honeybees, making them extraordinary pollinators and a boon to any garden environment.

Only some of these solitary bees and wasps may have stingers.  On top of being nonaggressive, their poison is very weak and does not cause an allergic reaction to humans.

 

Guest bees can choose between hollow sticks and high-rise bricks.

Here is one arriving now:



Bee Hotel

Checking in please, room for one –-
long and narrow, toward the sun!

Certainly, please come right in.
Any baggage? Any kin?

No, I travel light. I’ve just -- 
brought a bit of pollen dust.

Photos and Poem © Tracey Kiff-Judson, 2024

 

Have a BEE-utiful Poetry Friday, and please buzz over to visit Laura Purdie Salas and help her celebrate the arrival of Oskar’s Voyage!

 

 

 

40 comments

  • The photo and the poems match each other perfectly. What a fabulous hotel. Did you know Helen Frost is coming out with a new book on pollinators.
  • Such a glorious structure, Tracey. I was watching a gardening program ast evening that featured a bee hotel- such synchronicity! Enjoyed the poem that has emerged from this bee hotel experience you had. It is a clever take on the check in encounters that frequently occur. Quite bee-lievable!
    • What a fun coincidence, Alan!  I just looked up pictures of other bee hotels, and it is amazing that they all are fairly similar.  My knowledge of these structures is BEE-ginning to grow!  : )
  • You had me at bee, Tracey! Love the photos and poem - "I travel light!". :)
    We have these "Lebensturms" (living towers) all over Switzerland that play host to insects/critters. I did a poem/post on a new one in my neighborhood a few months ago: https://weewordsforweeones.blogspot.com/2023/11/camera-roll-23-living-tower-lebensturm.html
    • Bridget, how interesting!  Thank you for sharing the link.  I think that I missed that week of Poetry Friday, so I hadn't seen your post.  I love your insect apartment ad.  So clever! : )
  • Very cool hotel and info... I just read about solitary bees recently also.  Perfect poem to end the post.  Thanks!!!
     
  • Absolutely deLIGHTful. I think you have an idea for a PB. You could visit lots of hotels and do reviews. LOL. Or, just a great nonfiction on bee hotels. 

    • What a fun idea!  Until Bridget's comment, I was unaware that these existed around the world!

      Edited on Sunday, 10 March 2024 06:12 by Tracey.
  • Tracey, I think those bees who enter the Bee Hotel must find the accommodations very cozy. I enjoyed your bee facts and your poem is excellent! According to you, bees travel light with pollen dust. Now, that is a clever statement! have a BEE-utiful weekend!
  • Tracey, did the bees run off with my comment? I do not see it. Once again, I shall try. 
    Your bee poem is Bee-xcellent! Thanks for the amazing facts about bees. I can see why the bees enjoy the bee hotel. It seems nice and cozy. I can imagine how many social interactions they have with their colleagues and friends. Your photos clearly bring clarity to the reader as to what your sharing with us. Who knew? Well, now I learned a few facts. Have a BEE-utiful weekend.
  • Really love your poem for two voices! One of our local parks/nature centers has one of these structures. So fascinating. 
  • The Air Bee and Bee cracked me up enormously.
    Your poem is so clever too: the move "toward the sun" is lovely. :)
  • This is the most delightful thing I've seen all week! (I may be a week late to last week's PF party, but I'm here and I'm happy.) :D 

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