Bug Hotel
Difficulty rating
Materials
Smaller bug hotels can be purchased ready made from reputable suppliers. Avoid those made from soft wood which won't last and are less likely to be used.
Or make your own:
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Old wooden pallets (for large hotels)
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Bamboo garden canes or wood with drilled holes.
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Bricks
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Broken terracotta plantpots
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Dry leaves
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Sticks, dead wood, loose bark, straw
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Corrugated cardboard
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Plastic plant pots
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Roof tiles or wooden planks covered with roofing felt.
Consider incorporating a hedgehog house into the base of the hotel (see our page on hedgehog houses).
Indicative Costs
Bug hotels can cost between around £5 to £30, depending on size.
Making a bug hotel can be a cost-effective option as many of the materials can be obtained for free:
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Consider using free recycled materials such as pallets, old roof tiles, bricks or plant pots which would otherwise be thrown away.
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Look on local Facebook groups for these materials which are often offered for free.
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Gather materials for free from your site, for example dead leaves and sticks.
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Use material from other management activities, like cut material from pruned trees or shrubs.
Method
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Choose a location in either a cool/damp spot or in the sun to attract different invertebrates.
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Bug hotels can vary in size, up to around 1m high.
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There are lots of different designs if you’re making your own – see our useful links.
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For larger bug hotels, choose a level, firm spot and create a stable base to add different layers.
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Aim to provide gaps and tunnels of different shapes and sizes.
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Make larger holes with stones and tiles to provide cool, damp conditions for frogs and toads.
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Smaller tube shaped holes will attract solitary bees.
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Add a 'roof' to keep it relatively dry. Use old roof tiles or wooden planks covered with roofing felt.
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Putting gritty soil on top can create a green roof.
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To make your hotel even better, let grass grow long around it and/or plant wildflower seeds to provide food for pollinating insects.
Benefits
Bug hotels can provide habitat for a range of different invertebrates, including pollinating insects.
More invertebrates provide food sources for other wildlife like hedgehogs, birds and bats.
Maintenance
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Check annually and replace any material that has been lost or which has decomposed over time.
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Remove any residue, debris, and old loose, dry materials.
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Best done in Spring after insect eggs hatch, and residents have left the hotel.