In the midst of constant land development in our area, Loveland's High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC) is on a mission to conserve and restore Colorado's unique native biodiversity. From plants and wildlife to water conservation, HPEC is dedicated to helping protect  natural resources, as well as fostering ways in which humans can live in better harmony with the land around them.

Recently, staff and interns at the High Plains Environmental Center created a bee hotel — or, what they have dubbed as an Air Bee N Bee, as a way of helping sustain northern Colorado's native bee species.

HPEC/Facebook
HPEC/Facebook
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It's no secret that bees are a super important part of our ecosystem and native bees in particular play a vital role in pollination. Unfortunately, the number of native bees in CO is on the decline, which is why many people are now trying to help save them and prevent their extinction. Building a habitat for these native bees, like HPEC did, is an excellent way of doing that.

According to HPEC's Facebook page, building the bee hotel was relatively easy and a lot of fun. Staff even provided step by step instructions, so that others could replicate the model in their own backyard.

To construct the bee hotel, staff started by using an olden wooden box as the base. Then, they cut hollowed log slices and drilled them into the bottom of the box.

HPEC/Facebook
HPEC/Facebook
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Bamboo tubes (found at Walmart) were used to fill the slices, which also helps to stabilize the tubes.

HPEC/Facebook
HPEC/Facebook
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The empty spaces were then stuffed with mulch and pine cones, and finally, chicken wire was stapled on top to ward off predators.

HPEC/Facebook
HPEC/Facebook
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