The children at Green Leaves Warner Lakes have been continuing to expand their knowledge of the environment by building Bug Hotels. They’ve been learning about the benefits of attracting bugs and insects to the garden. Guided by their Educators, the children created three Bug Hotels using natural and recycled resources.
Almost two-thirds of flowering plants require insects for pollination. Some of our favourite fruit and vegetables yield a better harvest with the help of bees and other pollinators. A Bug Hotel with the right materials will help attract insects looking for a place to rest. Once you’ve finished building your Bug Hotel, place it in a sheltered area. It won’t take long before your first guests arrive. Observe them from a safe distance and enjoy your new backyard guests!
What you need
Empty milk bottles (2 litre) or a waterproof vessel of similar size
String for tying and hanging
Natural materials and resources such as bark, pinecones, seedpods, twigs, dried flowers (stems of lavender), gum leaves, dried bottle brush flowers, and lengths of bamboo (these are great because they have hollow stems).
Method
1. Cut your milk bottle or vessel on one side (like a large rectangular window)
2. Arrange your natural materials. Tip – start by placing the longer pieces of bark first, followed by twigs/ bamboo (which you may need to trim to size), leaves, dried flowers, pinecones and other materials.
3. Once you’re happy with, you can go around it with string to keep the materials together. When you finish putting everything together, your Bug Hotel is ready for its first inhabitant! You can either hang it up or place it in a spot that gets a balance of sun and shade.