How to… make a bug hotel

Hotel de la Martine

Open to one and all crawly creatures

The purpose of a bug hotel is to provide nooks and crannies that different species of insects can stay in.

“Insect hotels” became popular in Germany after it became apparent that the loss of habitat was detrimentally impacting wood-nesting bees and wasps.

So stewards of the forest began crafting ‘hotels’ by drillings holes into wooden blocks and placing hollow twigs.

For more information on the history of bug hotels,

It is still undetermined how beneficial these hotels are as many insects are choosy about nesting and overwintering sites.

But perhaps the most important thing about them is they help start the conversation about beneficial insects, and the loss of their habitat.

So have fun, use twigs, drill holes into wood logs, add some pinecones, its your hotel, design it as you will!

Here I am drilling holes into some logs. This was a fun winter project to work on for the garden.

Don’t be afraid to let your bug hotel age with your garden. My hotel had been outside for a few years now, and I’ve enjoyed the way it’s shaped and changed by nature and the creatures that call it home.