Insect Hotels

Insect Hotels : A Refuge for Insects

When I stumbled upon my first insect hotel a few years ago, I never knew that there were so many different kinds and looks. I explain the reasoning behind these intriguing insect abodes and I have collected some of my favorite images and resources below.

Some insect hotels are designed as nesting sites while others provide space for hibernation. Some of the styles target a specific insect, for example lady bugs or butterflies. Others include a wide variety of materials and refuge, attracting a wide variety of insect types.

http://leafmag.tumblr.com/post/12969550229/insect-hotel-more-like-hotel-spa-and-restaurant

 

Using Insect Hotels for Learning About Habitat

In learning landscapes, insect hotels offer a chance for young people to see bugs up close, understand where they live and offer a chance to increase the bug population.  Kids are great at gathering materials and keeping an eye on the hotel. The hotel can house predatory insects to protect gardens and pollinating insects to help pollinate flowers and fruiting trees.

We designed this inset hotel for bug investigation at public sites. It is made of sturdy materials, has lots of cubbies for materials, a roof for protection, and has a locking mesh over top. The comportments are filled with loose materials so them can be removed, inspected, and replaced. The locking mesh door allows viewing, but keeps kids from emptying the contents every day! It is much better to wait a month and let bugs settle in then explore what has taken up home in your inspect hotel. You can contact us to buy plans that show how to build this beauty!

This size insect hotel is the perfect scale for a preschool, elementary school, zoo, or nature center

 

 

Stunning Arrangements of Natural Materials

We also enjoy them is because they are beautiful! They put natural materials on display in a way that is striking, functional and achievable on a small budget and with student help. This insect hotel is stunning it its design and materials selection.

 

This insect hotel is stunning it its design and materials selection.

 

Materials To Use

  • Wood or logs with drilled holes 2mm – 8mm
  • Bark
  • Reeds
  • Bamboo
  • Rocks
  • Tiles
  • Sticks
  • Pipe
  • Tile
  • Pine Cones
  • Rope
  • Moss

 

Build Your Own Insect Hotel

Insect Hotel step by step

 

1. Straw or wood: sheltered, this material will accommodate pretty lacewings, whose larvae feed on many pests: aphids, obscure mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips or eggs of acari.

2. Bamboo rods: they provide shelter for mason bee, solitary bees that pollinate the first flowers of fruit trees, already at the month of march.

3. Returned flower pots filled with hay it attracts earwigs who like pests such as aphids.

4. Wooden boards piled behind the metal plates: Where will come xylophagous insects involved in the decomposition of dead wood.

5. Pierced logs: they are very popular shelter for many very useful pollinators like bees and solitary wasps, whose larvae feed on aphids.

6. Bundles of pith rods as the bramble, rose, elderberry, provide shelter ideal for hoverflies and other Hymenoptera.

7. Bricks: they are appreciated by mason bee (solitary bees that are non stinging!).

8. Small board close the one from the other and sheltered : they attract ladybugs who come to spend the winter. Their larvae consume a lot of aphids.

 

Other Unique Ideas and Designs

These 40 insect hotels were created by the local youth club and combined into this striking high rise.

insect-hotels-2

 

The Luxe Bug Hotel by Arup Associated offers a stylish modern home to bugs

The Luxe Bug Hotel by Arup Associated offers a stylish modern home to bugs

 

Playing off a bird house theme, I enjoy the architecture and size of this one too. From the Tim Floyd Blog.

hotel1

 

 

Don’t feel overwhelmed. While these are some of the most interesting and beautiful ones I found, you can always keep it simple. Check out this pallet insect hotel.

wildlife-trust-insect-hotel-1024x727

 

I am a sucker for graphics, so I had to include this beautiful insect hotel graphic too.

http://littlegreenshed.blogspot.com/2011/03/image-via-here-image-via-here-we-are.html

 

I hope you can find time and space to build an insect hotel of your own!

 

 

12 replies
  1. Elite Proxies
    Elite Proxies says:

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  2. Buy Proxies
    Buy Proxies says:

    Hi just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of the images aren’t loading properly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different internet browsers and both show the same results.

  3. Les White
    Les White says:

    Have just seen your article re bugs hotel. Have pinned on Pinterest ready to make
    My own hotel soon
    Thank you
    Les white

  4. Patricia Talbert
    Patricia Talbert says:

    Cannot wait to set up my own insect hotel. I already provide nectar and host plants, have a toad abode, bat and butterfly houses, and a shallow bird bath with shells and rocks for perching.

  5. Linda Roehrig
    Linda Roehrig says:

    I am INSPIRED!! I will be gathering wood and other materials. I love this idea. I can see a couple in my yard! Thank you very much.

  6. Donna J. Steinbrenner
    Donna J. Steinbrenner says:

    What an awesome site. Thank you for making it available to us nature lovers. This is a topic we never, well almost never, hear about. Great idea.
    Certainly educational.

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