Welcome insects to your garden with a Bug Hotel

Let’s be honest insects are truly underappreciated in the garden and yet without them to break down waste it would get very messy indeed! We’re losing our insects at a rate of 2.5% a year and without them other wildlife such as birds, hedgehogs and toads lose their food source.

Not convinced? Another plus side of having them around is many insects prey on unwanted pests while aiding the pollination of your flowers, fruit trees and food crops; especially important if you love having butterflies in the garden. They really are an important part of a successful garden and by providing them with a safe home, you’ll be encouraging them to take up residence.

Inspire your young nature lovers

So, why not make your garden guests feel truly at home with a Bug Hotel and if you can rope in any younger members of your family to help, so much the better. Children often see creepy crawlies as something to fear as they’ll scuttle or flap about and this can make the child jump or become alarmed, usually because they encounter them away from the insect’s natural habitat.

By building a Bug Hotel with your little (or not so little) ones, you’ll be broadening their understanding of nature, educating them about these tiny creatures and encouraging them to be less afraid of them.

Don’t be put off by thinking you’ll need a large garden for a bug hotel, you can keep it simple and  start with a stack of wood or a cosy smaller bug house that doesn’t have to take up much room and will still attract insects.

Building your insect dwelling can happen at any time of year, but Autumn is when they will be looking to take shelter before winter comes.

What do you need?

To start with you’ll need to get together a collection of bricks, wood, twigs, bark, moss, hollow plant stems, pinecones and old leaves. A good idea, and a fun outing, is a foraging trip to your nearest woods which should provide most of the natural items. You’ll also need something to create a roof, so your dwelling stays nice a dry. A few old roof slates, piece of MDF or plank of wood should be fine.

How to build your own bug hotel

A simple and straight forward log pile is an excellent start. Stack old wood in a damp, shady part of the garden and stuff the gaps with dead leaves. You’ll soon find centipedes, beetles and woodlice taking up residence as they’ll love burrowing into the dead wood while birds, frogs and hedgehogs won’t be far behind looking for a tasty snack.

If you’d like something larger or want to be a little more adventurous you could opt for building a cosy little house or going all out with a 5-star hotel! The bigger the home the more visitors and residents you’ll have. Start at the bottom with a few bricks, old pipes or pots and build from there layering as you go. It’s best to keep areas in sections and fill with natural materials creating warm, dry spaces that your little visitors will love!

Upkeep and maintenance

In late spring you’ll notice that activity in your hotel will die down as your residents move out and on. Now is the time to change any straw, leaves or twigs and replace them with fresh materials. Give bricks and stones a good brush out and you’ll be all set to welcome your next lot of guests!

Being an established and trusted estate agent across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and the surrounding towns and villages we are often asked to make recommendations for services associated with property matters. Whether it be builders or removal companies, we have strong relationships with many local businesses whom we work closely with who can assist you and provide excellent customer service. By making recommendations Satchells can provide you with access to one point of contact should you need assistance in other property matters.