An insect hotel fulfills two uses in your own garden. On the one hand, it offers animals a safe shelter and serves as a nesting aid. On the other hand, it visually enriches your garden. When attaching the first mentioned advantage is much more decisive. Because if the insects don't feel comfortable, they won't settle. Here you can read all the important aspects for the optimal location of an insect hotel.
An insect hotel should be hung on a south wall
Possible hanging locations
- housewall
- tree
- balcony
- High wooden garden fence
site conditions
- Sunny and warm (best with southern exposure)
- At a sufficient height to protect against predators (at least 50 cm)
- sheltered from the wind
- Protected from rain, cold and moisture
- Free entry lane
- Near a food source
- Permanent location even in winter
Note: The height not only protects the insects from predators, but also protects curious children and pets from wasp stings.
Screw the insect hotel tight
Although many insects breed in an insect hotel (11.33€), the larvae do not like being weighed back and forth. Your insect hotel should therefore not swing freely in the wind, but be firmly attached to a tree or a house wall. Ideally, screw it directly to the back wall.
time
There is neither an inappropriate nor a particularly good time to hang up an insect hotel. The brood hatches in spring, the animals are particularly active in summer and diligently collect the nectar of the flowers, in autumn and winter they use the shelter as a warm retreat. The only important thing is that you leave the insect hotel permanently in the same location.
Insect hotel on the balcony?
An insect hotel on the balcony is just as possible as on a tree in the garden. As long as the animals can fly in and out unhindered, they don't mind being around people. However, you should make sure that you do not feel disturbed by the hustle and bustle. If you often eat meals on the balcony when the weather is nice, wasps in particular like to join you at the coffee table, apart from the seductive smell. Likewise, bees often get lost in the house when the windows are open. Above all, allergy sufferers, families with children and pets should take these tips into account.