Not all bugs are bad, some are helpful as they improve the state of your garden, making it a better place. Every garden needs these, and what better way is there to attract them than creating a bug hotel that not only invites the good bugs, but also adds a touch of charm to your outdoor space?
Build a Charming Bug Hotel for a Buzzing Garden
Create a bug-friendly space in your garden with a bug hotel. Crafted from rough pine, chicken wire, and natural materials, this DIY guide offers easy steps to build a bug paradise that also doubles as a delightful garden feature.
What You’ll Need:
Rough pine off-cuts
1x 285cm and 1x 265cm for the roof.
2x 250cm for the sides.
135cm for the penthouse flooring
Width for pine cuts: 90cm – These measurements are optional.
Chicken wire
Screws
Fascia boards (optional)
Various natural materials: hay, sticks, lichen, terracotta pots, and more
Instructions:
Step 1:
Grab the rough pine off-cuts and arrange them to form the base and sides, creating a square shape with a base, and two sides. Assemble the floors, a space for garden bugs to hide, lay eggs, and play around.
Step 2:
Attach the sides by screwing them in, creating a solid framework that any bug would be proud to call home. Add two more pine cuts of the same length and width, between the top and the middle of the “hotel”. Create the roof by merging the two pine cuts into a triangle above the sides. Add a smaller cut between the roof and the longer pine cut closest to the roof, to create a “penthouse”. Add small pine cuts at different parts, between the floors, as dividers of the levels.
Step 3:
Spread the chicken wire out like a bug safety net, staple it in place, and trim the edges. This not only keeps the bug treasures from tumbling out but also provides a neat backdrop.
Step 4:
An optional but charming addition, add fascia boards. Pop them alongside the roof, and voila! Your bug hotel now has the perfect finishing touch.
Step 5:
Put your natural materials in the different compartments of your choice. Stuff in some coir for bug mattresses, toss in a bit of hay, sprinkle lichen for texture, and strategically place sticks and terracotta pots. This bug hotel is now a bug paradise! You can place this charming structure near your veggie garden, where the bugs hang out. Ensure it basks in sunlight during cooler months, offering a warm retreat for your garden bugs.
Your bug hotel is not just a structure; it’s an invitation for nature to thrive in your backyard, and it also adds some decorative charm to your outdoor space. Happy gardening!
