In my garden at Clogher Road: Bee stones stay dry and cosy in the frame surrounded by Ox-eyed daisies, Valerien, Yarrow, Red Currant
In my garden at Clogher Road: Bee stones stay dry and cosy in the frame surrounded by Ox-eyed daisies, Valerien, Yarrow, Red Currant

Make Your Garden A Bee Beacon

Our bee stones are crafted from eartherware clay and fired under 1000 Celsius to keep them breathable and evapurate. This design prevent mold from forming inside and harming the brood. Its ability to absorb rainwater makes it essential to place the stone in a sheltered location or provide it with a protective roof to keep it dry.

Many commercially available options, unfortunately, become death traps for their sensitive inhabitants due to unsuitable materials that cause larvae to perish. The true measure of a nesting aid's quality is its ability to support the successful hatching of young wild bees from the brood cells the following year. The sustainable bee stone excels in this regard, helping wild bee populations grow year by year, provided there is sufficient food and no poison.

Meadowsweet visited by honey bees.
Meadowsweet visited by honey bees.

Our nesting aid features min of 25 holes with diameters ranging from 2 to 10 mm, depends on the model, offering ideal nesting conditions for various beneficial insect species. With an average of five brood cells per hole, a fully occupied bee stone can shelter approximately 125 little helpers through the winter, ready to emerge in spring and summer.

We have 15 different cavity wild bees in Ireland who find the bee stones attractive for nesting and also some solitary wasps that will help with natural pest control in your garden as they feed on aphids and small caterpillars. By choosing the bee stone, you're providing a safe, sustainable, and scientifically proven habitat for a wide array of vital pollinators and pest controllers. 

What's the Bee Stone Story 

Our clay stones are durable, non-toxic, and specifically designed to mimic the natural nesting conditions that cavity bees seek. The smooth, stable surface of the clay prevents the buildup of harmful bacteria, while the material itself remains resistant to weathering, ensuring long-lasting use. Additionally, our bee stones are designed to retain moisture, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy microclimate for the bees. With their thoughtful design and environmentally-friendly composition, PLAN BEE's nesting aids provide a superior, low-maintenance option for creating safe, sustainable habitats for pollinators.

Different bee - different room size

The dimeters of the holes range between 2 and 10mm, depending on the model that you bought. The depth is at least 10 times the dimeter. That is important because if the length is too short, less females will be born, and let's be honest, the lady bees are most important to guarantee survival.

Made of Earthenware grog clay

Your stone is made of clay with some grog and was air-dryed for over a week. They are fired at 950 degrees celcius . The bee stone must not be glazed to keep it breathable, which is important for the little brood.

Yellow-Faced Bee
Yellow-Faced Bee

Perfect as it is

No mesh to protect the holes is needed. Birds cannot hold on to the clay stone.

Do not clean

No cleaning needed. The wild bees will take care of it themselves.

Last for decades

If the bee stone has been kept dry at all times it will be in perfect condition for many, many years to come. Unlike the wooden and bamboo ones that need to be replaced after a few years.

all you can eat

Make sure you provide food in the form of flowers from March to October. If you have little space, a flower pot on the garden table will help. (photo top: onion flower visited by yellow-faiced bee)

Rewild a part of your garden

A tremendeous help would be if you dedicate a part of your lawn for the pollinators. You get best results if you cut one third up two three times, one third only ones and one thrird leave alone for a couple of years. This part will create an ecosystem that is supporting mining Bees and other important creatures. Birds will benefit as well as they find more seeds and worms to feed.

Remove all invative plants
such as Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica), Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)

Yellow-Faced Female Bee inspecting the bee stone
Yellow-Faced Female Bee inspecting the bee stone

Our bee stones offer a unique and effective solution for supporting wild bees. Unlike wooden or bamboo alternatives, which can sometimes harbor pests or degrade over time, our clay stones are durable, non-toxic, and specifically designed to mimic the natural nesting conditions that wild bees seek. The smooth, stable surface of the clay prevents the buildup of harmful bacteria, while the material itself remains resistant to weathering, ensuring long-lasting use. Additionally, our bee stones are designed to retain moisture, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy microclimate for the bees. With their thoughtful design and environmentally-friendly composition, PLAN BEE's nesting aids provide a superior, low-maintenance option for creating safe, sustainable habitats for pollinators.


Cheap insect hotels from the garden center - A NO GO

The so called insect hotels you can find in garden centers are most of time rubbish. Here is what you need to look out for: 

  • The holes or bambo sticks need to be smooth, otherwise the bees could hurt their wings on the sharp edges. 
  • The depth of the hotels need to be at least 10 times the diameter of the holes 
  • You often see that the holes are drilled into the heart of the wood (where you can see the life lines clearly). This way the wood is likely to crack - and open door for parasites 
  • The pine cones don't do anything for insects. There are just a cheap way to fill the space
  • Vertical slides for butterflies are also humbug. Most butterflies have a short lifecycle and their brood are somewhere hidden in your garden. A few habinate in sheds or places where it's cold. 
That's too many bamboo sticks in one place. If one bee has parasites such as mites they may spread and invest the entire bamboo nests.
That's too many bamboo sticks in one place. If one bee has parasites such as mites they may spread and invest the entire bamboo nests.

DIY - Make a bee nesting aid from wood and bamboo

If you seek a little project and want to make a nesting aid yourself just follow the guidedance

  • get a piece of hard wood such as oak, beech or walnut. 
  • Don't drill into the rings but into the side of the piece of wood. Otherwise cracks will appear sooner or later and parasits can take over
  • The holes can be from 10 to over 15mm diameter with the lenght at least 10 times the diameter
  • sand down the edges of the holes so that they are smooth and cannot harm the bee
  • Keep the piece of wood in a sunny and dry spot and it should last for many years. 
  • You can burry half of a dead wood log which will add great value for all kind of little creatures above and under the ground
  • Get a few bamboo sticks, 20 is lots. Messure the diameter of the holes and give a lenght of at least 10 times. Get a can and fix the bamboo sticks with wax or so to the bottom so that the ends are properly closed. Hang them up steardy in a sunny spot.
  •  Important: The bigger the nesting aid the more of a risk to attract parasites. Instead have a few smaller  ones spread out in your garden.