{"id":4307,"date":"2021-06-25T23:28:59","date_gmt":"2021-06-25T23:28:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecofamilylife.com\/?p=4307"},"modified":"2021-07-20T01:25:48","modified_gmt":"2021-07-20T01:25:48","slug":"do-bug-hotels-really-work-are-they-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecofamilylife.com\/garden\/do-bug-hotels-really-work-are-they-worth-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Do bug hotels really work? | Must-Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bug hotels are starting to pop up area and they work by providing a home for passing insects. Bug hotels can help to provide a home for solitary bees, wasps, caterpillars and spiders. The benefit of bug hotels for your garden is to increase pollination to grow more fruit and increase biodiversity to create a natural balance to control pests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bug hotels and kids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bug hotels are a great addition to your yard if you have kids. Bug hotels give kids the opportunity to have a close up look at insects in a safe way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teach kids not to touch insects but look at the way that spiders<\/a> make webs and can live together with other insects happily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My bug hotel brought guests like a range of spider of different sizes living on the outside and inside of the hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caterpillar have found a home in one of the bamboo holes and they all lived together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Insects will move in and out of the bug hotel over time and you will see new insects as the season changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Large bug hotels can also become a home for lizards and frogs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What can stop your bugs moving into a hotel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Too much rain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Very heavy rain can wet the bug hotel and stop insects<\/a> from moving in. Bug hotels should be placed in a dry area and kept protected to avoid mold. If you live in a very rainy area, you will need to keep your bug hotel protected from the rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Too much wind<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Windy conditions can stop bugs from living in your hotel. Bugs like a protected area and will look for a space that is out of the wind. If your bug hotel is in an exposed area then bugs will move out and find somewhere else to avoid the wind and weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put your bug hotel in a protected space under a shelter or under a large tree. Hang your bug hotel 4-5 feet high so that dogs and cats can\u2019t knock it over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holes are the wrong size<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To encourage bugs into your hotel make sure there is a range of hole sizes for the insects to move into. Holes that are too large or too small will mean that bugs will pass your hotel by instead of moving in. If you are making a bug hotel yourself, choose small sticks, bark, twigs and bamboo pieces to give bugs<\/a> a range of holes to hide in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Larger hole scan be filled with clay so that insects<\/a> can dig out the hole size they want.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How long it takes before bugs move into a bug hotel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bugs will move into a bug hotel as quickly as 2 weeks from when you place it in your yard. When I put my bug hotel near my vegetable garden, it took 4 weeks before I saw spiders and caterpillars move into the holes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The time it takes for bugs to move into the bug hotel will depend on the weather, how many insects are in your area, where you have placed your hotel and the size of the holes. Spring and Fall are the best times to install an insect hotel as bugs will be on the move and looking for a place to rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Insects can move into your bug hotel within weeks of you placing it in your yard.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Where to buy a bug hotel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bug hotels can be bought from Amazon, garden centers, hardware stores or you can repurpose another product to make one yourself. Ikea have a large doll house which is the perfect place to fill with natural materials for a range of insects to move in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out this bug hotel from Amazon<\/a> that looks great in your garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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To find out more about the best place to put an insect hotel,<\/a> check out my previous article here.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have found that my bug hotel has really worked to make a new home for insects in my yard. I have seen spiders and caterpillars move in and out of my bug hotel over winter. As the weather warms up in spring, I hope to see new bugs make a home in my tiny bug hotel.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making a bug hotel yourself can be a great project so check out this video for a fun way to make a bug hotel yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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