Bee Friendly Schools
How to encourage bees to live on your site safely
This article outlines how to make simple changes in your school that will encourage bees to live on your site and the safety measures you should consider to look after them and for children to observe them.
Safety Measures
Contrary to popular belief, it is unlikely that bees will sting if left undisturbed. However, in order to reduce the risk of being stung, schools should teach children how to behave around bees.
- Bees should be for observation only, not to touch or catch
- There should be no shouting or sudden movements around bees
- Children should only approach or touch solitary bee houses if it is for a supervised activity
- When observing solitary bee houses through an observation window, children should be closely supervised
The school should ensure that a member of staff with appropriate first aid training is in close proximity when pupils are observing bees in case a child is stung.
Where Should Bees Be Kept?
Most bees in the UK are solitary bees, meaning they do not live in colonies, do not produce honey but are important pollinators. These types of bees can live in solitary bee houses, which are suitable for school grounds.
Whether they're store-bought or homemade, solitary bee houses should:
- Be kept at least one metre off the ground in order to prevent mould and keep out of reach of younger children
- Be fixed firmly to a wall or structure so that it does not move around in the wind
- Be south-facing towards the sun
- Be in close proximity to flowers and shrubs
Find out more about making solitary bee houses with this CLEAPSS advice.
Solitary bee houses give children a chance to observe bees visiting the nest holes. Holes that have been blocked with mud, leaves or debris are most likely being used by mother bees as nests to lay eggs.
You may have observation windows in your bee houses to allow children to look at the bees safely. However, these particular bee houses should be placed somewhere that is not accessible to pupils during playtimes or out-of-school hours. This is to prevent pupils from opening an observation panel or taking out a drawer without supervision.
Attract bees by planting lots of wild flowers in a designated area on your site.
Bee Stings and Allergies
No matter the safety measures taken, a bee still may sting. If a bee stings someone, it leaves behind its sting in the skin after it flies away. It is important to remove the sting as quickly as possible to minimise the dose of venom. The best method to do this is to simply scratch out the sting with a fingernail.
Once the sting is removed:
- Wash the area with warm water and soap
- Use an ice pack or cold compress to help reduce any swelling or inflammation
- Elevating the affected area can also help to reduce swelling
- Avoid scratching the area to reduce the risk of infection
It is very important to closely monitor anyone showing a reaction to a bee sting. If you’re ever unsure about someone’s reaction, call 111 for further advice.
Pupils known to be severely allergic to wasp or bee stings will have a record with the school. Staff should be familiar with these pupils’ health plans and will know, for example, if it includes the use of an adrenaline auto-injector or EpiPen. If you are unsure, speak to your school’s first aider or responsible person.
Certain bees can be kept in solitary bee houses like this!
Bee Benefits
Being bee-friendly can massively benefit your school or academy. It can:
- Improve your school’s biodiversity
- Produce an opportunity to study them
- Help boost the local bee population
- Help to improve pupil mental health
- Contribute to your school's sustainability effort
How Do We Attract Bees?
The best way to attract bees is to build a bee-friendly garden. You can do this by planting flowers in a designated sheltered and sunny location. Plants of the same group should be planted together so that colour and scent are easy for the bees to detect.
In the spring and summer, bumblebees are most attracted to lupins, lavender, foxgloves and hollyhocks. Honeybees like borage or comfrey.
In the autumn and winter, plant sarcococca, winter flowering viburnum, honeysuckle and clematis.
CLEAPSS Resources
Have a look at CLEAPSS’ resources to find out more about having visits from beekeepers, visits to apiaries, keeping bee hives at school and how to make solitary bee houses: