Backyard Conservation || How to Build a Bug Hotel

Oh my goodness, if you want a fun project to do with your kids this is it. This is a wonderful opportunity to teach why bugs are beneficial, they can watch to see what kinds of bugs utilize the hotel and what "rooms" they prefer. Another great thing about this backyard project is that you can use items found around your house or yard without needing much if any supplies from the store. 

Materials

First you have to find all your supplies. Some people like to build their own using old pallets, you can use old boxes or dresser drawers, and you can even use toilet paper rolls and stuff with natural materials and stack it on the ground. The possibilities are endless- but it is good to have a roof on your structure for long term bug use. 

Natural materials are best to collect to fill up the bug hotel. Many people start by using wood blocks, sawed logs with bark on them etc. and drill holes with a 5/16th diameter bit about 6 inches deep into the wood blocks. This makes good homes for bees we will mention later. You could replace the wood with bricks that have those holes if that is the material available to you. These take up a lot of space so the next task is filling in around it- the less gaps you have the less of a chance wasps will come. So to fill it up you can loosely roll cardboard and tie it with twine to stuff in the gaps, like a cardboard fruit roll-up. Dried reeds that look like straws are great and you can collect that from plants- day lilies work especially well but cat tail reeds can be used too and probably even phragmites after being mowed. The key is to make them about 6 inches long. Pine cones, rocks, twigs, leaves and moss round out the final materials needed to pack the bug hotel tight for all its new visitors. Think of this as a cozy natural filler. Rocks absorb heat during the day that can slowly disperse into evening to keep it warmer while everything else can remind bugs of a natural environment. 

Where to put it

Sun: The main thing to focus on is sun. It is recommended that it should face the South, that way you can get sun without it being too harsh during peak times of day. 

Activity: There should be minimal disturbance in the area you choose. A lot of gardeners like to hang bug hotels on a nearby shed or tree, orchards are great locations, and if you chose to have it in your backyard choose a place that is toward bushy areas in the corner or places that don't frequently get used. 

Height: Ideally, the bug hotel would stand up off the ground to heights of 4 feet, however bugs will utilize the hotel if it sits on the ground or if its hung in a tree. 

Food: To keep your bug guests coming back to the hotel it's a good idea to place the hotel nearby to plants they would like to pollenate- that is why orchards and gardens are commonly used. 

Who are the guests?

• Bees- they like the tunnels 
• Beetles
• Dragonflies- they like straw and red painted on the hotel
• Butterflies may use them 
• Flies
• Spiders and centipedes- they prefer shady and moist areas with bark in the hotel
• Curious birds, lizards and small mammals may even try to utilize the hotel as well 

A lot of other arthropods may "check in" to the hotel as well. 

If you want to increase the abundance of bugs in your back yard, especially beneficial ones, having a bug hotel is a great opportunity to do that. Its a fun educational activity for the whole family and something you can monitor in your own back yard that helps conservation. Increasing habitat has a big impact and this is a excellent way to start small.