Following on from my post recently about getting your garden ready for winter, one of the areas I mentioned was around setting up an area (the more the merrier if you have space) for insects, especially pollinators and all those good bugs that keep away pests from your crops in summer, where they could be protected over winter.
Well, I happened to be mooching around YouTube the other day when I came across a rather useful video on making an insect (and bug) hotel from scratch, using only materials laid about your property that have been collecting dust and you don’t need.
The video is about 8 minutes in length but I promise you won’t be disappointed. If (like me) you want to set up a proper place to house beetles, spiders, ladybirds, solitary bees (and wasps), and lacewings (to name but a few), over winter than I highly recommend this useful video. It’s shows just how easy it can be to make a hotel, and explains all the materials used as the video goes along.
Just remember, your hotel can be as big or as little as you like. The important things is just to have some place for insects and bugs to take shelter (or lay their eggs or larvae) ready for the following year when they’ll pay you back in boundless kindness by pollinating your crops and keeping those aphids down.
Once again, we’re saving the world 🙂
Hope you like it.
Any other tips for bug hotels? What materials do you use for your insect house? Let us know.
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That was really interesting. Except I have quite enough bees and wasps as it is, they seem to find my house a suitable hotel already.
Thank you for sharing I am taking my bug hotel with me to new home but will make some more
I love it! A quick segue… In my previous house we had a LOT of toads in the yard and I used to leave out plant-saucers of water for them all summer. They liked to overwinter by digging in under the compost, and I had to wait for them to come out in spring before turning or using it, lest I hurt one by forking through. So that was my toad hotel. Now I can have a bug hotel too — as long as the bad-bugs don’t find it.
Oh, I have been planning on making one of these and love the video and especially the plantable rooftop! Thank you. Another bug hotel location coming soon (Spring) to Northern NY.
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Thanks for posting this video! I’ve never heard of a “bug hotel” before, but if the mild weather keeps up I’m going to try to get one done for this winter. If not, then for the next. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could do some of our garden chores in fast-motion like this guy!!!???
This is really great information. I recently pulled up a whole lot of the plants in my overgrown garden which undoubtedly resulted in the displacement of a lot of insects. Perhaps, I should consider creating new accommodations! Would it be alright if I re-posted this? Thanks!
Thank you for your kind comment. You’re very welcome to re-post.
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