Did you know that not all bees live as one big family in hives? Bee species like red mason bees and leafcutter bees are a couple examples of solitary bees, who raise their young ones on their own, belonging to no colony. In the natural world, they look for holes or tunnels in soil, sand, clay, or wood; whatever they can find to occupy. As architectural styles evolve and naturally occurring habitats of these pollinators decrease, it falls on the human societies to build habitats for them, being the driving force behind the cause of this loss- modernisation and rapid urbanisation. As needs present themselves, a community of kindness comes ahead. Bee Bricks have been created.
Home in a home
The Bee Bricks are just like the regular components of construction. As the name suggests, these structures are bricks made for the habitation of solitary bees. Depending on the area, a Bee Brick can be included in larger structures like walls, and can also be placed in gardens or a wild patch in singular numbers. Their turning into a home for the bee does not undermine its utility in any building. They do not need any special maintenance, and instead become a sustainable alternative to regular bricks as they are made of china clay waste. It would benefit from being low-cost and made from recycled materials. Bee Bricks first emerged as joint effort of Kate and Gavin Christman, founders of Green&Blue, designing beautiful, stylish products that help wildlife thrive.
‘The Bee Brick: building habitat for solitary bees’, Int. J. Sustainable Design provides an informative exposition about the product. The team of co-authors consisting of Christman, K., Shaw, R. and Hodsdon, L. says, “The Bee Brick provides a nesting site for solitary bees, adapting and rethinking how existing building components are used. Made using locally sourced recycled materials, it offers the dual function of being a construction material that also promotes biodiversity.” The nesting site protects the eggs and larvae of solitary bees from predators and harsh weather conditions, ensuring their survival.
Creators of the Bee Brick
Based out of UK, Green&Blue has an easy access to china clay waste found in abundance in Cornwall, making it the perfect material of choice, the Christmans suggest. Add some granite aggregate and cement as a binder, and the team had the right recipe for their Bee Brick. Each Bee Brick has 18 cavities moulded part-way into the otherwise solid structure. There is the potential to have different colours to fit more aesthetically with a given construction project or even to highlight the presence of the Bee Bricks in a site. At present, these solid nests for bees are available in white, charcoal, red, and yellow colours. As the solitary bees are excellent pollinators, placing the Bee Brick near pollen and nectar heavy plants is ideal. Apart from gardens, this can also be done in Beepots, another variant of the Bee Brick offered by Green&Blue. They are a combination of the Bee Brick and a pot made of the same materials, that can be placed in any corner of a house near windows.
The Bee Brick is a revolutionary invention for the ones with a bee-loving heart. A part of that population, Kate and Gavin Christman continue to #GiveNatureAHome with the available resources, their reach, and their understanding of Nature. Bee Pillars, Bee Blocks, and Bee Cells are a testament to their endeavour to make the modern world more and more bee-friendly.
Also read Studio Kathryn Larsen: Colours, light, and resilience
