Student-Led Bee Hotels Unlock Hidden Pollinator Networks Across Canada

In a groundbreaking collaboration between K-12 students and university researchers, a nationwide citizen science initiative has shed new light on the elusive world of cavity-nesting bees and wasps. Through the Bees@Schools program, thousands of young participants installed simple trap nests—commonly known as bee hotels—at schools from coast to coast. These structures, mimicking natural hollow stems, captured detailed ecological snapshots that DNA analysis later decoded into complex food webs and distribution maps.

The project, spearheaded by the University of Guelph, highlights how higher education institutions are bridging classroom learning with real-world research. Lead researcher Sage Handler, a graduate student, along with colleagues Katerina Coveny, Thomas W.A. Braukmann, Nigel E. Raine, and Dirk Steinke, published their findings in Metabarcoding and Metagenomics on February 3, 2026. Their study, titled "Welcome to Hotel Hymenoptera," demonstrates the power of community-driven data collection combined with cutting-edge genomics.

This effort comes at a critical time for Canada's pollinators. Over 34.7 percent of assessed bee species face extinction risks, driven by habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. Cavity-nesting species, vital for pollination and natural pest control, remain understudied due to their secretive habits.

The Bees@Schools Program: Hands-On Science for Thousands of Students

Launched by the University of Guelph's Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Bees@Schools engages elementary and secondary students in authentic research. Schools receive standardized bee hotels in spring—bundles of cardboard tubes, reeds, and PVC pipes of varying diameters (4-12 mm) to suit different species. Participants install them facing south at 1-1.5 meters height, monitor over summer, and return them in fall.

• 2019 pilot: 42 nests returned from 59 sites.
• 2020: 170 nests from additional sites.
• 2021-2023: Cumulative hundreds more, involving over 5,000 students across 200+ schools.

The program's educational pamphlet, aligned with grade 6 curricula, teaches about solitary bees' role in ecosystems. Students learn that unlike social honeybees, these solitary Hymenoptera (bees and wasps) provision nests with pollen or paralyzed prey for offspring.Bees@Schools website maps participation, showing dense coverage in Ontario, with reach to British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Prince Edward Island.

"A lot of people want to contribute to conservation but don't know how," Handler noted. "This shows a small action like hosting a trap nest can yield real data." Such initiatives foster STEM interest, preparing students for careers in ecology and genomics.

University of Guelph's Leadership in Pollinator Genomics

The University of Guelph, Canada's food university, anchors this research through its Guelph Institute for Environmental Research and Food from Thought program. Dirk Steinke's lab leverages the BOLD Systems database—the world's largest DNA barcode library—for metabarcoding. Nigel Raine's pollinator expertise adds behavioral insights.

This paper exemplifies how Canadian universities drive applied biodiversity science. Guelph's model integrates community data with high-throughput sequencing, scalable for national monitoring. Similar efforts at Canadian universities underscore higher ed's role in addressing biodiversity crises.

Understanding Cavity-Nesting Pollinators: Ecology Basics

Cavity-nesting bees (family Megachilidae, like leafcutters and mason bees) and wasps (e.g., Trypoxylon spider hunters) comprise ~30 percent of solitary bees. Females excavate or reuse cavities, line with mud/leaves/resin, provision with pollen-nectar paste or prey, lay eggs, and seal. Offspring emerge next spring.

These species pollinate crops like blueberries and almonds while wasps control pests. Yet, urban expansion fragments habitats, threatening nests in dead wood/stems. Canada's ~900 bee species include many cavity-nesters at risk.

Step-by-Step: From Trap Nests to Metabarcoding Insights

1. Deployment: Schools install bundles (20-50 tubes/nest).
2. Collection: Fall return; 776 occupied tubes processed.
3. Dissection: Extract intact nests/larvae/provisions.
4. DNA Extraction: Clean-room lab at Guelph; separate samples for builders (COI animal marker), pollen (rbcL plant), prey.
5. Sequencing: Metabarcoding yields reads matched to BOLD.
6. Analysis: Networks built with R; stats on richness, connectance.

638 tubes barcoded from 113 sites (2019-2020). This non-destructive (for IDs) method outperforms microscopy, detecting cryptic species/interactions.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Key Findings: 78 Taxa and Novel Distributions

Analysis revealed 2,313 Hymenoptera detections from 78 taxa:

• 29 bee species (24 cavity-nesting, 5 cleptoparasites like Coelioxys).
• 49 wasp taxa (27 predatory, 22 parasitic).
• 12 parasite taxa (Diptera dominant).

10 bee range expansions (e.g., non-native Osmia taurus in BC/AB/MB/PEI; native Megachile snowi). 4 wasps. 45% tubes multi-occupied; 27% parasitized.

No landcover effects on richness, but composition varied (e.g., alfalfa leafcutter Megachile rotundata in crops).Full paper

Trophic Networks: Pollen, Prey, and Parasites Revealed

Bees foraged polylectically: 362 plant genera (Asteraceae 20%, Fabaceae/Rosaceae 13% each). Novel oligolectic shifts noted.

Predatory wasps took 72 prey taxa (Lepidoptera 27, Coleoptera 10). 11 new prey records.

Tripartite networks link pollinators-plants-prey-parasites, exposing vulnerabilities like high parasitism.

Conservation Implications Amid Pollinator Declines

With 22% North American pollinators at risk, these data inform habitat restoration: diverse cavities, native plants. Bee hotels aid local conservation but need monitoring for invasives.

Under-sampling bias corrected; range shifts signal climate impacts. Universities like Guelph advocate policy via data.

Citizen Science's Role in Higher Education Research

Guelph's model trains grad students in genomics while engaging public. Scalable, cost-effective for vast Canada. Parallels pollutant studies.

Boosts equity: K-12 to university pipeline. Explore higher ed career advice in ecology.

Future Outlook: Expanding Networks and Tech

Plans: More years, material-specific barcoding, AI networks. Guelph eyes national pollinator observatory. Students inspired for research jobs.

Actionable: Install bee hotels, plant natives. Track via apps.

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

Conclusion: Bridging Generations for Biodiversity

Bees@Schools exemplifies Canadian higher ed innovation. From student hands to peer-reviewed insights, it combats declines. Aspiring researchers, check Rate My Professor, higher ed jobs, university jobs, career advice. Engage via comments below.