Handmade Shelters for Solitary Native BeesMade in San Diego with salvaged redwood, cedar and mahogany. The mahogany is donated from Taylor Guitars.
We make two styles of shelters, SeeBee and Spiral Pattern
1 - SeeBee shelters have a clear side panel that exposes the bees nesting activities. 2 - Spiral Pattern shelters have drilled out holes in a block of mahogany, only the front of the tunnel is visible. |
We launched our new SeeBee Shelter, it is available HERE.
The new SeeBee shelter is a nest site where solitary bees can lay their eggs. The new observation feature, the clear side panels allow you to see into the life of a female bee as she nest, and her eggs and larva as they pupate into bees. Watching this incredible transformation is fascinating, as well as educational.
You can install the shelter in any location, then wait for the bees to find it.
Remember, these bees are gentle, they live alone and they very rarely sting. Safe for kids and pets, too.
Install in the garden for more pollination.
Perfect in a native plant garden
A unique gift made with salvaged mahogany and redwood
Our Mission
At SoloBee we make homes for solitary bees as a way to restore the earth and increase pollination. Solitary bees are 90% of the 20,000 species of bees on the planet and are considered super-pollinators, 100x better at pollination than honeybees. Each female bees lives alone and spends her eight week life building and provisioning a nest for her young. Once she lays 20-30 eggs in the nest, she caps the door and dies. A year later her young bees emerge as adult bees and repeat the cycle. Helping them is simple, just install a shelter and the bees will find it. |
Spring Garden Events
Shop in Person at these Events
Audubon Bird Festival Garden Expo Feb 26th, 10am - 2pm 1936 Quivira Way, San Diego, CA 92109 More Info Here CNPS Garden Tour April 1st & 2nd, 9am-4pm California Native Plant Society Garden Tour Saturday 4/1 in Escondido | Sunday 4/2 in Encinitas Tickets Here La Jolla Secret Garden Tour May 20th, 9am - 4pm More Info Here Visit the SoloBee Workshop by Appt. 7936 LESTER AVE, STE D LEMON GROVE, CA 91975 call 619-807-9193 ![]() BUILD A BUNGALOW CLASS
No Workshops Scheduled at this time Join the Bee Map
All shelters are numbered and mapped t o show where people are helping solo bees. If you are a new SoloBeeKeeper, write to me on our Contact Form with your: street, zip, shelter style, shelter number and your name. I will add you to the map. You cannot add yourself. |
Why help the native bees? Over the past few decades habitat loss and pesticide use has caused a steep decline in solitary native bees. More than anything else, they need a safe place to nest and thrive.
SoloBee Shop
How a SoloBee Shelter works
Solitary (solo) native bees live alone, rarely sting and lay their eggs in a tunnel nest. With no large hive to defend, the female very rarely stings. Her life is filled with collecting pollen for her nest, and that is when she pollinates making her the best pollinators on the earth, better than bats, butterflies and honey bees. She will fill her tunnel nest with pollen and eggs, then she caps the door and dies. A year later her young will emerge to repeat the cycle. Native bees are everywhere, so set out a home and invite them in. More bees, more food and more flowers.
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Our Story WHY we help bees. HOW we build them shelters in our San Diego workshop. WHAT you can do to help the bees at home. More videos and press HERE |
Who We Are
SoloBee was founded in 2015, to give solitary bees a beautiful home that anyone can install. After receiving waste wood from Taylor Guitars, the company evolved to use primarily salvaged wood and working toward zero waste. As of Nov. 2021, they company has made 3,016 shelters and educated hundreds of people about solitary native bees. Con't here.
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Where We Are
Join the Bee Map
SoloBee Community members are mapped by their shelter number. See all the places our customers are helping bees. |
Mahogany Tower Review
Online Shop here
SoloBee Habitat Garden in Balboa Park- Near the Timken Museum
Visit our habitat garden for bees. Pesticide-free, it provides a safe place for bees to collect pollen and build a nest.
Visit our habitat garden for bees. Pesticide-free, it provides a safe place for bees to collect pollen and build a nest.