Heirloom Wild Bee Homes by Scopa

Heirloom Wild Bee Homes

A beautiful way to monitor the health of your yard and neighborhood.

Small But Mighty

Unlike a large honey bee hive, wild bee homes contain only a handful of wild, non-aggressive pollinators. We intentionally keep the number of nesting sites in our homes small, as recent research has shown a strong correlation between density of nests and the number of them that get taken over by parasites.

A red Scopa bee home with 8 wooden nesting blocks. Each nesting block has a slightly different sized hole.

Testimonials

"We installed our bee house in the middle of one of our flower beds and it only took a few weeks for bees to find it and settle in. The bee house is a true work of craftsmanship, it is a lovely addition to any garden."

"[I] ordered two of these for my cottage...the turnaround was quick and Ryan kept me up to date. They are SO well constructed and worth every penny...These will probably become a treasured family “artifact”, much like our bat house has become."

"Ryan went above and beyond to make sure that the bee home will last for generations, which is something you don't often see nowadays...I have received a perfect little bee home for my balcony along with enough information to help me set it up...Setting up the bee home was as easy as it could get."

Definitely not for honey bees

While there are 8 honey bee species in the world, there are about 20,000 others, with 900 in Canada alone.

Unlike honey bees - which are a domesticated European species - many of our wild bees live solitary lives, with one mother bee building a nest for her young. In addition, in urban areas where resources are limited, honey bees can actually suppress native bee populations.

Our bee homes are built specifically for those bees referred to as "cavity nesters", which usually find their homes in holes in dead wood. The beautiful nest you see here was created by a leafcutter bee.

Unlike many other wild bee houses and insect hotels, we created ours alongside scientists specializing in wild bees, following all currently known best practices and research.

Low-Density Nesting Sites

A large number of nesting sites in one location becomes an all-you-can-eat buffet for parasites.

By keeping the number of nesting sites low, we reduce the chances (though can't guarantee) that the nests will be invaded by parasitic wasps, flies, or beetles.

Best of all, this means there's no need to regularly clean out the blocks. (But you still can if you want to.)

Deep Nesting Blocks

Poorly designed insect hotels often come with shallow nesting holes. This can result in the mother bees laying mostly male eggs, which can negatively impact the population the following season.

All of our nesting blocks have 5.5 inch deep holes in a range diameters. They aren't easy to make, but it's the right thing to do.

No Rear Entry. Parasite-Resistant Nests.

Paper and bamboo nesting sites can be easily punctured by certain parasitic wasps, allowing them to lay their eggs through the wall and take over the nest.

All of our nesting blocks are made of solid white oak, and have no way in for parasites once the mother bee seals the front.

Individually Removable Nesting Blocks

Left exposed, a bee home can quickly turn into a bird feeder.

By making it easy to remove and place each block in a safe location after it is closed up, we reduce the exposure time and increase the chances that the young bees will make it to adulthood.

We want these bee homes to outlive us, while still being easy to maintain. That's why we call them heirloom bee homes.

Solid Oak + Safe Outdoor Finish

All of our homes are built from solid white oak. On its own, white oak can last two decades or more. But then we treat it with Osmo Country Colours or decking oils: outdoor finishes safe enough to eat, but guaranteed never to flake or peel like a polyurethane.

Best of all, they're easy to maintain. After 3-5 years, just add another coat - no sanding required.

Waterproof Wood Glues + Joinery

You won't find a single nail holding any piece of our homes together. It is assembled entirely with joinery and waterproof wood glues that are stronger than the wood itself.

If there's nothing to rust, there's nothing to wear out or ruin the finish.

All Stainless Steel Hardware

Our mounts are attached to the bottom of the home with a single stainless steel bolt, tapped directly into the wood. You never have to worry about it corroding and ruining the look of your finish.

To make it easy to attach to an existing wooden structure, we also provide two stainless steel screws, which go into pocket holes hidden underneath for a clean look.

UV Resistant Rubber Bands

To make it possible to view or clean the nesting blocks, we use UV-resistant rubber bands to hold each block closed.

These bands are designed to last for decades outdoors, but will eventually biodegrade if abandoned.

A "Check Engine" Light for Your Yard

Introduced in Karl Krombein's 1967 book Trap-Nesting Wasps and Bees, nesting blocks like those in our homes have been an invaluable tool for anyone looking to house and observe some of our most critical wild pollinators.

Properly designed and placed, nesting blocks help you to understand which species of solitary, cavity-nesting bees you have, and whether their populations are healthy. If this home remains empty, it should set off alarm bells and point to a need to plant more wildflowers or other flowering plants in your yard.

In areas where we often clear dead wood and other natural sources of nesting sites, nesting blocks like ours ensure there is a base level of nesting sites for cavity-nesting bees. These bees help to pollinate plants up to a 300m radius around where they live.

Select Finish

Natural with UV Protection

Unfinished White Oak

Blue

Red

Ochre

Green

Black

Select Nesting Block Style

Standard Nesting Blocks

Nesting Blocks with Viewing Windows

View product details

Select Finish

Natural with UV Protection

Unfinished White Oak

Black

Blue

Green

Ochre

Red

Select Nesting Block Style

Standard Nesting Blocks

Nesting Blocks with Viewing Windows

View product details

Accessories

White Oak Nesting Blocks $4.00

White Oak Nesting Blocks with Viewing Windows $5.00

Bee Home Garden Stand $27.00

Founded in 2022, Scopa was formed to help reverse our planet's declining biodiversity.

We care deeply about wild pollinators, and building things that last. The effort put into each product we design and build is a physical manifestation of those values.