A new study led by Dr. Kit Prendergast from the University of Southern Queensland shows that bee hotels can aid native bee populations in recovering from climate-driven wildfires. These artificial nesting structures, designed for cavity-nesting bees, were tested across five fire-affected sites in Western Australia’s Jarrah forests using 1,000 hotels made from wood and PVC with bamboo.
Over seven months, the team observed over 800 nests occupied by native bees, with significantly higher bee activity near the hotels compared to control sites. The research highlights that bee hotels support recolonisation and accelerate recovery. However, high honey bee presence reduced native bee activity, leading to recommendations against beekeeping in fire-affected areas to protect native species.
The study, co-authored by Dr. Rachele Wilson and published in Insects, is the first to explore bee hotels as a post-fire recovery tool, emphasising the importance of nesting resources for pollinator restoration.
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