Bee sand: The perfect home for our most important pollinators
Our new bee sand
What at first glance might appear to be just another product riding the wave of popularity surrounding bees turns out, on closer inspection, to be a well-thought-out innovation for species conservation that has been developed over many years. This is because around 75% of the 500 native wild bee species nest in the ground—preferably in sandy soil. However, few people are aware of this fact.
At the same time, bees are on everyone’s lips – literally. Hardware stores, garden centers, and online shops are vying for the attention of environmentally conscious consumers with bee hotels, wildflower mixes, and so-called “bee paradises.” But not everything that looks like it helps bees actually does.
Sand for wild bees – really well thought out
“We wanted to capitalize on the interest in bees—but with a product that really works,” explains Falk Schröter, Managing Director of the DIY Division. That’s why Bee Sand was developed: a specially formulated soil substrate that specifically addresses the needs of ground-nesting wild bees. The result is a product that is not only ecologically sound, but also meets consumers’ growing desire for concrete, effective measures for nature conservation.
Research instead of trend products
The development of Bienensand is the result of many years of cooperation with Bee-Rent, an experienced provider of wild bee solutions. “We have invested over five years in researching the optimal sand formula,” reports Bee-Rent Managing Director Dieter Schimanski. However, without the right distribution channel, the product has remained an insider tip until now.
That has now changed: together with Quarzwerke, the bee sand has been brought to market maturity. After numerous test series, the ideal mixture has now been determined—sand from the Hohenbocka plant and kaolin slime from Caminau. The formula offers the perfect balance between stability and water permeability—and will only be released if it passes the “endurance test” by wild bees.
Consumer-oriented and climate-friendly
The DIY division regularly receives inquiries from end consumers asking which sand is suitable for a sandarium. This increased awareness is now being met with the right product. Under the motto “Climate-friendly gardening with minerals,” bee sand is now available at gartenmineralien.de and will soon be available in brick-and-mortar stores.
Not only was consumer-friendly 25 kg packaging designed for this purpose, but extensive POS materials were also developed. “We address customers’ growing awareness of the problem—and then offer them the perfect solution,” says Andrea Schröner from the marketing team.
Conclusion:
Bee sand is more than just another product on the bee shelf—it is a scientifically sound, natural contribution to preserving wild bee diversity. And it is a step in the right direction for anyone who wants to grow not only flowers but also biodiversity in their garden.
