DENVER ~ Colorado Gov. Jared Polis welcomed bee hotels to the Governor's Residence in Denver, part of state efforts to provide nesting habitat for native bees and monitor their health.

The structures are designed to attract cavity-nesting solitary bees, including mason and leafcutter bees, which use hollow stems, reeds and holes in wood to nest and raise offspring. About 30% of Colorado's native bee species nest in cavities, according to the Butterfly Pavilion's conservation team.

"The bees are already busy gathering pollen," Polis said in a statement. He described pollinators as important to Colorado's ecosystems, agriculture and outdoor spaces, and encouraged residents to learn about them and take steps to support a healthier environment.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is using bee hotels through its Invertebrate and Rare Plant Program to monitor cavity-nesting bees, working with agency staff, volunteers and schools. The agency deployed more than 100 hotels across the state in 2026. The project is intended to help researchers identify where different species live, what resources they rely on and which environmental stressors affect their health and reproduction.

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The installation at the Governor's Residence follows a September executive action by Polis to support and protect pollinators. The state's efforts also build on a 2024 Colorado Native Pollinating Insects Health Study, released by Polis and the Department of Natural Resources. The study called for protecting pollinators at immediate risk, restoring habitat, reducing pesticide risks and monitoring pollinator health.

The state has since begun implementing strategies that include launching the Invertebrate and Rare Plant Initiative at Colorado Parks and Wildlife, according to the release.

Colorado is home to more than 1,000 native bee species, which contribute to wildflowers, agricultural crops, biodiversity and ecosystem health, the release said.

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