Eco bricks for bees, bats and birds

Types of eco bricks

Bee bricks

Bee bricks have rows of small holes in the face of the brick. Solitary bees, such as red mason bees, lay their eggs in the holes and seal them in for the winter.

Unlike honeybees, solitary bees don't live in a hive or make honey, and they rarely sting. That makes a bee brick a good fit for garden walls and homes.

Our Ibstock Cheddar Golden Bee Brick has a buff finish that suits lighter brickwork.

Bat boxes and bat bricks

A bat box built into a wall gives bats a dry, sheltered place to roost during the day. It sits flush with the brickwork, so from the ground you'll barely notice it. Unlike a wooden bat box fixed to a tree, it becomes part of the building itself.

The Ibstock Bat Box C in smooth cream is designed with pipistrelle bats in mind.

All bat species and their roosts in Britain are protected by law (Bat Conservation Trust). If you think bats already use a building you're working on, speak to an ecologist before work starts.

Nest boxes for sparrows

House sparrows like to nest in the walls and roofs of buildings, and a built-in nest box gives them a safe place to raise their young. The Ibstock Sparrow Box in smooth red is made to blend in with red brick walls.

Why choose eco bricks?

• ⦿ Built in, not bolted on: eco bricks are laid with the rest of the wall, so there's nothing to fix to the outside of the building.

• ⦿ Matched to your brickwork: our range includes red, cream and buff finishes, so a habitat brick can sit quietly in a new wall.

• ⦿ Low maintenance: once they're in, eco bricks need little or no upkeep.

• ⦿ Helpful for planning: if your planning permission asks for nesting or roosting features, eco bricks are a simple way to include them.

Where to use eco bricks

• ⦿ New homes and extensions: they're easiest to add while the walls are going up.

• ⦿ Garden walls: a bee brick in a garden wall puts solitary bees close to the flowers they feed on.

• ⦿ Schools and public buildings: a visible way to show care for local wildlife.

• ⦿ Housing developments: need eco bricks across several plots? Request a quote and we'll price the full order.

Each product comes with the manufacturer's guidance on where and how high to fit it. Check it with your bricklayer before you build.

Bee bricks or bat boxes: which do you need?

It depends on which wildlife you'd like to help and where the brick will go. Bee bricks suit garden walls and the lower parts of a house, close to flowers. Bat boxes and nest boxes usually go higher up the building.

You don't have to choose just one. A bee brick and a sparrow box on the same house each help a different species.

Still weighing it up? Our Brick Advisors can talk you through the options and help you pick facing bricks to match.

Eco brick FAQs

Q: Do bee bricks work for bumblebees?

A: No. Bee bricks are made for solitary bees, which nest in small holes. Bumblebees live in colonies and need a larger, enclosed space, which is what a bumble bee box gives them.

Q: What's the difference between a bat box and a bat brick?

A: Both give bats a place to roost. A bat brick, or integrated bat box, is built into the wall. A standard bat box is usually wooden and fixed to a tree or the outside of a building.

Q: Are eco bricks the same as ecobricks made from plastic bottles?

A: No. Our eco bricks are clay bricks and boxes made to house wildlife. Ecobricks made by packing plastic into bottles are a different thing and aren't something we sell.

Browse our extensive Brick Library

Building a new wall around your eco bricks? Explore thousands of bricks in our Brick Library.

Need some expert help?

Our Brick Advisors are standing by for one-to-one advice. Call 0330 122 4060 or contact the team. Talk to us!