One of the easiest and most effective ways to support pollinators is by installing a bug hotel. These small structures provide shelter for solitary bees, ladybirds, and other essential pollinators. You can buy or build a simple bug hotel using hollow reeds, bamboo, and wooden blocks with drilled holes. Place your bug hotel in a sheltered spot near flowers or plants that attract pollinators, and watch as bees and other insects find a safe place to nest and lay eggs.

Top tip: Position the bug hotel facing south or southeast to ensure it gets plenty of sunlight, and keep it away from strong winds.

Upcycled gardening is a great way to re-use old items while providing vital resources for pollinators. Old boots, wellies, or any other container you no longer use can be transformed into quirky, eco-friendly planters. Fill them with lavender, honeysuckle, or heather - plants that pollinators love. Not only will these provide food and nectar, but the added bonus is the visual appeal they bring to your stable area.

Top tip: Make sure your old boots or containers have drainage holes in the soles to prevent waterlogging, and place them in sunny spots where the flowers can thrive.

A simple but effective way to help pollinators is to create log piles or leave small dead wood piles around your stable. These provide homes for a variety of insects, including beetles, ants, and some types of bees. As the logs decompose, they also create the perfect habitat for fungi and moss, which will support even more wildlife. Log piles are particularly helpful during the winter months, offering shelter and warmth for insects that need a place to hibernate.

Top tip: Place your log pile in a sunny spot and ensure it’s stacked loosely, so insects can easily crawl in and out.

Pollinators need water just like any other animal, but they often struggle to find suitable drinking sources in human-managed landscapes. Providing a shallow water dish or birdbath near your stable can make a big difference. To keep pollinators safe, ensure the water is shallow enough for insects to land on and drink without the risk of drowning. You can even add some pebbles or stones to give bees and butterflies a safe spot to perch.

Top tip: Change the water regularly to keep it fresh and top it up during dry spells.

Many species of solitary bees nest in bare, undisturbed soil, and they need areas of sandy or loose earth to burrow into. Consider leaving small patches of soil in your stable area undisturbed and free of weeds or grass. These areas of bare ground provide the perfect nesting sites for ground-nesting bees, who are invaluable for pollination.

Top tip: Leave these patches in sunny areas with well-drained soil, and avoid disturbing them by keeping them free from foot traffic or heavy machinery.

Pollinators are the unsung heroes of our natural world, responsible for pollinating many of the plants that sustain both wildlife and humans. Without them, our food crops and many of our wildflowers would struggle to thrive. By creating a pollinator-friendly stable, you’re not only making a positive impact on the local ecosystem, but you’re also helping to ensure that future generations of pollinators have the resources they need to survive.

Each small change you make helps build a healthier, more diverse environment for wildlife—and the best part is, you don’t need to have a large farm or field to make a difference. Even a small, stable area can become a buzzing hub of activity for pollinators with a little thought and care.

Let us know you’ll be adding pollinator-friendly features to your stables and plot them on our map.

Pledge to protect pollinators