How to make a bug hotel for a healthy garden

Beneficial bugs are essential for a healthy garden, so why not provide them with their own accommodation in this five-star bug hotel.

What you need to make your bug hotel

• 4 pieces of wood: 2 x 250mm x 130mm x 20mm
• 2 x 210mm x 130mm x 20mm
• 250mm x 250mm masonite backing board
• 12 x 4mm x 40mm full-thread screws
• Bamboo canes
• Broken clay pots
• Pieces of cut-up logs
• Cup hook to hang up

Tools

Secateurs, hammer, screwdriver

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What you do

1. Make a square with the pieces of wood and screw it together using two screws per side. Add a cup hook to the middle of the top board to hang your hotel from.
2. Screw on the backing board.
3. Fill the box. To do this, cut bamboo into lengths with secateurs to fit into the box, add broken bits of damaged clay pots smashed up with a hammer, and use pieces of wood to fill the spaces. Make sure it all fits tightly into the box.
4. Hang up in the garden and invite the bugs in.