Build a Bee Hotel: Workshop Supporting Native Bees

Build a Bee Hotel: Workshop Supporting Native Bees

At Reems Creek Nursery

Sat. June 6, 2026

10 AM – 12 PM

With John Kotab

 

Join us for a hands-on, educational workshop focused on Western North Carolina’s native solitary bees and how you can actively support them in your own yard and community.

During this 2 hour workshop, participants will learn:

• The life cycle of solitary, stem-nesting native bees
• The native plants these bees rely on for nesting material, pollen, and nectar
• How habitat loss impacts native pollinators—and what you can do to help

Hands-On Experience

Each attendee will build their own bee hotel during the workshop. Every participant will go home with:

• Build a fully constructed Bee Hotel featuring a sheltered 5-inch square opening filled with natural stems and/or nesting blocks. All materials provided.
• The instructor will be providing drills and drill bits that will be shared by participants. **However if you have a drill, it would be extremely helpful if you could bring your drill – along with 1/8 to 7/16 drill bits and T-25 star bits to speed up the bee hotel building process.

This workshop is designed as a starting point, empowering attendees to expand their bee “real estate” over time and support larger native bee populations in their neighborhoods.

Additional Information

The instructor, John Kotab, is the author of a native bee–focused book, which is available for purchase in our Garden Shop.

Who Should Attend

• Gardeners and plant enthusiasts
• Homeowners interested in native landscapes
• Educators, families, and nature lovers
• Anyone wanting to make a meaningful impact on pollinator health

Space is limited. Registration is required and spots will fill quickly. Instruction and all materials provided with your workshop fee.

$62 + tax covers instruction and all materials for your Bee Hotel

 

REGISTER HERE

 

 

About John Kotab: The Native Bee Rancher

Born in 1989 amid the intertidal coastlands of Charleston, South Carolina. His passion for bees began while working with the vegetables and fruits of Joseph Fields Organic Farm on John’s Island. In 2016 he did a bicycle tour of the Pacific Coast where he interviewed 10 individuals about pollinators, and recorded his research adventure in his book Bee The Change: If We Protect, Nature Will Provide. He has lived in Western NC for 7 years now, and spends his time bicycling, hiking, fathering his son, and taking care of all of our native bees.