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BUG HOTEL

AnnieanenomeAnnieanenome West SussexPosts: 28
in Wildlife gardening
My lovely hubby made me a gorgeous Bug Hotel. Thought I would share the photo with you. Trying my best to encourage as much wildlife, in all shapes and sizes, to my garden. Moved on from flowers to the Bug Hotel. Next project is a Hedgehog House. Would love to see any other photos that will encourage our wild friends.
Happy Gardening.
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Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges The north west of south east WalesPosts: 5,461
    Very nice work. Plant some stachys 'lambs ear' near by and look out for wool carder bees taking the fluff from the leaves to your bug hotel (assuming they can find the correct size hole to use).

    Do you have a pond or water feature of any kind? That's usually the next step.
  • aureliecelerieraureliecelerier Posts: 157
    Lovely work. If you want to encourage more wildlife, just leave a small log pile in a corner of your garden. They are a valuable habitat for mosses, lichens and fungi, as well as many insects. Other animals will use it as a source of food too. 
  • The_herpetologistThe_herpetologist West YorksPosts: 482
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 7,056
    This is the 1st hog house my husband built, awaiting the roofing felt. The 2nd one had a less direct tunnel , and this one in the picture went to our neighbour, where it has had residents!
  • AnnieanenomeAnnieanenome West SussexPosts: 28
    Fab pictures. Thank you Aureliecelerier for the lambs ear tip. I have lots of this in the front garden so will be transplanting some near my Bug Hotel. 😊
  • AnnieanenomeAnnieanenome West SussexPosts: 28
    THE Hopeful Herpetologist I love your bug complex! Wish I had space for a wonderful creation. Good to see we are hopefully making a difference to the wildlife. 
  • BijdezeeBijdezee BPosts: 1,316
    What lovely places for wildlife. My DH has just put up a sort of nest area/shelf under the overhang of the summer house. I have seen blackbirds and robins nest in places like this so im hoping that a bird might use it for a second brood or maybe next spring. 
  • AnnieanenomeAnnieanenome West SussexPosts: 28
    Thank you Wild Edges, I will be planting some lambs ear from a patch I already have. Plan to do a small water feature with some acers. Very much at planning stage as last part of garden to complete. 
  • AnnieanenomeAnnieanenome West SussexPosts: 28
    wild edges said:
    Very nice work. Plant some stachys 'lambs ear' near by and look out for wool carder bees taking the fluff from the leaves to your bug hotel (assuming they can find the correct size hole to use).

    Do you have a pond or water feature of any kind? That's usually the next step.
    Just about to plan some sort of water feature into an acer bed we are in the process of completing our new garden. I have lambs ear which I will put near the hotel, thanks for the tip. When I had a dog I always put the dog hair ,when I groomed her, outside for the birds to use. 😊
  • FireFire LondonPosts: 7,189
    This is my rather messier hotel. A student squat, circa 1973 perhaps. The ground and second floor of pallets and logs with cavities and bedding inside. Second floor mezzanine straw bale (good for general bedding filching purposing), penthouse of logs, viewing platform of old and broken pots.

    It's in my compost area so I use the space all the time. And it is patrolled all days by various cats. There are loads of nooks and crannies but I'm not sure how useful it is. Certainly spiders and beetles love it.

    I put a perspex sheet over the straw bale, which has worked really well to keep it dry.  Four years now and it has remained the same as it was originally, apart from bits pulled out of it. It hasn't rotted. I dug tunnels into it, for convenience.




    Has anyone use the solitary bee monitoring box, as featured on Springwatch this year? They are apparently easy to clean of mites and great for kids.

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