Created by UK-based nature products company Green&Blue, the Bee Brick is equally versatile and sustainable. Possessing the ability to be used as a singular bee house or a number of bricks for an entire residence, the product creates a habitat for non-swarming solitary bees, as well as being durable enough to house humans in a home devised entirely of Bee Bricks.
Solitary bees have no honey or queen to protect, meaning they will not attack humans or animals. The bricks were created in an attempt to help the world’s declining bee population.
The Bee Brick is entirely solid at the back, which enables it to be used in a construction capacity. It has moulded cavities where the bees lay their eggs, and will seal the entrances of the cavities with either mud or vegetation. Come springtime, the bees’ eggs hatch, and the process of nesting begins again.
The Bee Brick draws inspiration from bees atypically nesting in crumbling mortar work and old hedgerows and walls. The cavities give bees a home where they can lay their eggs and the cycle can continue.
Those who have Bee Bricks as either a structural element for their home or merely as a bee house are asked to grow bee-friendly plants in their gardens and to avoid the use of chemicals.
Pollinators account for approximately a third of the food humans eat, as well as being a vital part of the world’s ecosystem. The Bee Brick nurtures the life cycles of solitary bees, ensuring the population of the species remains stable.
The Bee Bricks cost around $50AUD for a single brick, with Green&Blue willing to provide bulk discounts for those looking to build their homes with Bee Bricks.