Build yourself an
INSECT HOTEL
Welcome pollinators and other beneficial insects to your garden by creating a DIY bug house – then let nature do its thing
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f you’re a gardener and a nature enthusiast, you’ll love creating an insect hotel. With all of its nooks and crannies, it will provide a vital haven for pollinating butterflies, solitary bees, lacewings, ladybirds and other insects that help pollinate flowers, control pests and maintain a healthy garden ecosystem. An insect hotel is easy to make – you just need an open bird house or a wooden box with an overhanging roof to protect it from rain. Instructions to make a simple box are below. Once you have your frame, fill it with materials from nature to provide shelter and nesting fodder for your guests.
COSY HAVEN
Fill your box with found and recycled materials, from twigs to hollow plant stems, cardboard tubing, drilled wood blocks, dried leaves and bark
YOU WILL NEED 1 x 10cm-wide rot-resistant wood board (you’ll need about 90cm in length) 1 x 13cm-wide rot-resistant wood board (you’ll need only 14cm in length but may need to buy a longer board) 3cm screws Wood glue Twigs, wood chips, cut bamboo canes, blocks of wood with drilled holes, pinecones, dried leaves, bark, straw and/or hay Hanging hardware
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CUT OUT THE BOX SIDES For the sides of the box, cut two 23.5cm pieces from the 10cm-wide board. On each piece, mark one long edge at 21cm. Draw a line from this mark to the opposite corner and cut on this line so that the top edge is angled. CUT OUT THE OTHER PIECES For the back, cut a 23cm piece from the 10cm-wide board. For the middle and bottom sections, cut two 10cm lengths from the 10cm-wide board. For the roof, cut a 14cm piece from the 13cm-wide board. ASSEMBLE THE BOX Place the side pieces on either side of the back piece (along the long edges) and screw through the outside of the side pieces into the long edges of the back board. Insert the bottom piece and
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YOUR BUG HOTEL RESIDENTS WILL BE READY TO POLLINATE YOUR FLOWER DECOMPOSE PLANT MATTER AND DEVOUR UNWANTED PESTS screw in both sides. Glue the middle piece to the inside of the side pieces, and screw it in place, if you wish. SCREW ON THE ROOF Attach the roof by lining it up flush with the back board but so that it hangs over the front and sides. Screw through the roof into the side and back pieces. FILL THE BOX Stack your cut bamboo canes, drilled blocks of wood and any other
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filling materials you have chosen so that they are packed tightly but still allow ample space for different insects to enter and nest. FIX THE FINISHED HOTEL Attach hanging hardware to the back of the box and fix it to a fence or tree trunk – about 90cm off the ground is a good height – preferably facing south so your bugs can benefit from the warmth of the sun.
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