For the environmentally-conscious gardener, building a bug hotel can be a wonderful and rewarding DIY project. Not only do bug hotels provide an attractive garden feature, but they also attract beneficial insects that provide natural pollination and pest control. What’s more, building a bug hotel is a fun activity that the whole family can enjoy, and is a great way to teach children about the natural world.

Constructed from plant materials and common garden odds and ends, bug hotels offer a cost-effective and fun way to help preserve local wildlife by giving nearby insects a safe place to shelter. When it comes to designing a bug hotel, there aren’t any set rules, meaning you can get as creative as you want.

However, it’s a good idea first to do some research on the guests you are hoping to attract to your garden, as some insects can be picky about their nesting spots. It’s important to bear this in mind when selecting your materials. For example, if you want to entice bees, you should include holes and small tubes made from wood, but if you want to attract Ladybirds you will need dry leaves, sticks and straw.

As with any hotel, location is absolutely vital. The spot you choose will determine what kinds of visitors your hotel will attract. For example, if you want to encourage more pollinating insects to come into your garden (such as butterflies and bees), you will need to build the hotel near nectar-rich flowers.

If you would like to find out more about bug hotels, we recommend that you read the infographic below from the team at Capital Garden Services. It provides helpful, easy to follow guidance on how to construct your very own bug hotel and takes you through some of the things to you will need to keep in mind during the process.