Hello,
I have a bee keeping pollen in a hole in one of my pencil sharpeners, its been back and forth
(not a hole with a blade in, pics included) its just the one bee as far as i know
and i think its only been at it today, but im not sure what to do about it. Maybe its a sign that i should start a hive. Any help would be appreciated, and thank you 
It sounds like your bee is a solitary native bee that is using your pencil sharpener as a home. You might be able to attract more of this type of bee with an “insect hotel”, which are becoming popular. Over here in Aus., small ones are available now in hardware stores & are quite affordable.
How interesting! It would be great if you were able to catch a photo of the bee.
I agree with Jeff, a pollinator house might do really well in your yard
Here’s a screenshot if a video i took this morning. Definitely going to get a little house for them.
Should i catch her and move her outside with the sharpener or just leave her be? What will happen to the pollen she is collecting? Theres so much there its amazing really.
Without seeing face… red mason bee?
If you can live without your pencil sharpener, I’d leave her be as she won’t necessarily move with it. Should make interesting viewing for you 
I just did a quick look-up and am thinking she might be from the Adrenidae family, and may be a mining bee.
Below is about their nesting preferences and includes an interesting reference to the entrance being pencil diameter 
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“The modus operandi of female mining bees is to excavate a vertical tunnel a few inches deep in dry/well-drained ground, either level or sloped (they like road and ditch-cuts). The entrance is the diameter of a #2 pencil or slightly larger, and there’s often a tell-tale dirt pile at the hole’s entrance.”
If you move the sharpener, she may not know where you moved it to when she leaves the location to forage and instead return to the original location (if she’s anything like a honey bee forager). I could be completely wrong though.
Thank you for your help! Ive decided to leave the sharpener there. It has been back and forth but hasnt left anything today or yesterday, so who knows what its up to! Does make for interesting viewing indeed and she hasnt been flying around my room or anything, its just through the window, sharpener and out again. Im going to get a bee hotel in a few weeks anyway. Not that she will relocate there but my mum has planted a lot of seedlings so i think the bees will love the garden this year anyway. Ofc ive no idea what sex it is but im calling her daisy, id be shocked and awed if i find an egg in there at some point. Im going to leave well alone hehe. Thank you again! Will try and get a photo of her from the front too to show you.
