Make an insect hotel yourself

An insect hotel in the garden helps beneficial insects and, of course, your own garden. Because even small animals, such as wild bees, lacewings, and others, need a home. These animals promote the pollination of fruit trees in the garden and keep aphids and other pests in check. Lacewings, hoverflies, or ladybugs are very useful insects because they feed on aphids and other pests. In gardener jargon, these insects are also referred to as beneficial insects. Some insects can even do both: the lacewing larva feeds on aphids, while the adult insect lives on flower nectar. Our children made a great insect hotel with their kindergarten teacher, which I would like to share with you:

DIY insect hotel with children

What you’ll need:

• clean can, approx. 10 to 20 cm high
• Color
• Paintbrush
• colorful chenille wire (pipe cleaners)
• pine cones
• plant stems, e.g., from perennials or reeds
• possibly twine or wire
• Glue

Instructions:

Paint the cans with paint according to your own taste. Shorten the plant stems to the length of the can using pruning shears. Fill the cans with the cut stems and a pine cone. The whole thing should be packed very tightly and densely so that they cannot fall out. It is best to bundle the stems with twine and glue the pine cone in place with glue.

After drying, attach the strings for hanging and hang the insect hotels in a place that is as sheltered and sunny as possible.

Extra tip:Hang the cans at a slight downward angle so that no water can enter. Due to the prevailing weather conditions here, do not hang the cans facing west, but ideally facing southeast, otherwise the new home will always be exposed to wind and rain.

Read also: Natural garden – design your garden naturally

Photo by Sabine, meinhaushalt.at