Typically insects find homes anywhere they can, in the ground, under leaves, under rocks, pavers, bricks, any place that provides a safe hiding spot. Insects thrive in rotting wood and leaves, but most of us are not crazy about seeing piles of leaves or wood in our outdoor living spaces. This may mean insects won’t be drawn to our yards or gardens, especially beneficial ones that are good for the garden and eat pests that would otherwise wreck your plants. And that’s where a bug hotel comes in — placing a bug hotel in yards or gardens significantly increases the chance of these hero insects moving in.
What is a Beneficial Insect?
There are three kinds of beneficial insects that are necessary for a garden or yard to flourish:
- Pollinators
These are the bees, butterflies, moths, or wasps that help collect and spread pollen. - Predators
These are ladybugs, praying mantis, lacewings, spiders, and beetles that eat other destructive insects. - Decomposers
These include flies, slugs, beetles, ants, and worms which chew up bits of leaves, dead animals, or dead wood.
What is a Bug Hotel?
A bug hotel is an artificial “building” that serves as long-term lodging or a winter hibernation spot for insects. You can hang bug hotels from trees, attach them to fences or stake them to the ground as long as they are near the flower and vegetable gardens. Some bugs prefer full sun, while others like shady spots, so you should consider the kind of insect you want to attract when placing your hotel.
To Buy or DIY Your Bug Hotel
Per the Farmer’s Almanac, beneficial insects have a basic need for water, food, and shelter. By providing these things, your garden will become an inviting home for them. And there’s nothing more inviting than hosting a hotel for the bugs to move into! But whether you buy it, like these from Amazon, Breck’s, and Wind & Weather or make it yourself depends on your inclination and materials you have or can get your hands on. Even if you decide to build your own bug hotel, there are plenty of kits and plans you can use. In fact, we found bug hotels made out of bricks, chicken wire, drain pipes, milk cartons, drawers, palettes, plastic bottles, plant pots, photo frames, popsicle sticks, tires or any combination thereof!
Our DIY Bug Hotel
We had on-hand some old small tires that we were going to use for another project but decided these would work better for the bug hotel. It was simple really – we attached the tires tread-to-tread, using nuts and bolts.
Then, we placed the hotel on some old slate panels and filled it up with different items, using old PVC pipes, paper towel rolls and bamboo stakes from Amazon as well as plastic plant pots to fill the holes.
Fallen tree bark and old broken bricks completed the project and viola! A bug hotel!
How to Use Your Bug Hotel
Your hotel should be out during summer when the wildlife is commonly active and protected against wind and rain during winter. Some experts recommend cleaning out and storing the bug hotel in a garden shed; others however, state that an occupied bug hotel should remain outside. Certainly any materials used to fill your bug hotel such cardboard, dried flowers, twine, burlap may need to be replaced each season.
A bug hotel is a simple, easy, and fun way to bring beneficial bugs to your patio garden area. Make yours unique to your garden theme and repurpose materials that have been hanging around your garden shed and/or shop area just waiting to be used. No doubt, in addition to having bugs help your garden grow strong, you will have an intriguing conversation piece to share with your guests while entertaining with food and drink on your patio. Remember, life happens on the patio.
Please Leave a Comment: Bug Hotel
Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. Let us know what kind of hotel you built or purchased and how successful you think it has been for your garden. Attach a photo so we can see your bug hotel!
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