Make Your Own Super Simple Bug Hotels - ideal for any outdoor space

Here's a neat little craft to celebrate minibeasts. Great for encouraging children to care for insects outdoors & observing them in their habitats.

To make our three fabulous Bug Hotels we used:
Garden canes
Rubber band
Sticks gathered on a nature walk
Garden shears
String & recycled ribbon
One recycled plastic bottle
A broken flowerpot

The Minibeast Motel


:: Cut the garden canes into lengths (around 15cm). We used Secateurs & protective glasses for this, but if your using twigs or sticks these should break much more easily. 
:: Select a bunch of the cut canes/sticks & wrap a rubber band around to hold them together. Then tie a length of recycled ribbon around the middle, & thread another piece through to make a loop & secure the ends of the string/ribbon in a knot.

3) Hang your bug residence around the garden, or near your house so the minibeasts & insects can visit their new pad!

The Flowerpot Hotel


1) Cut the garden canes or sticks as before

2) Pack the sticks & canes into the flowerpot. They need to be as compact as possible to keep them in place.

3) Place your flowerpot in a shady area of the garden to attract those bugs who prefer a damp, cool habitat.


The Bottle B&B



1) Cut canes as before.

2) Cut the top & bottom off a plastic drinks bottle

3) Pack the canes into the bottle as tightly as possible.

4) Thread a length of string/ribbon through the bottle, make a loop (so the bug home can be hung up) & secure. Alternatively don't add the string & place in a shady area of the garden.


These bug hotels are great for attracting ladybirds, solitary bees, wasps, spiders, beetles, & many more insects. The small gaps between each of the canes allows the minibeasts to hide away & shelter.

These are great for exploring minibeasts, and you don't need to have a big garden or outside area to use them. The mobile home can be hung anywhere.

Happy Earth Day!