If you set up an insect hotel in the garden, it usually doesn't take long for the first residents to arrive. This article provides an overview of the most frequent guests and how you can make their stay as pleasant as possible.
Bees like narrow tubes
Frequent residents
- wild bees and wasps
- earwigs, ladybugs and lacewings
- butterflies
wild bees and wasps
Wild bees and wasps mainly use an insect hotel (€11.33) to deposit their brood. It is best to provide the appropriate filling material with bamboo tubes, bricks and clay.
earwigs, ladybugs and lacewings
Ladybugs are very useful helpers in pest control in your garden. You want to attract these insect species? Then fans with straw and wood wool are recommended.
butterflies
Butterflies also enrich your garden both visually and practically. They feel most comfortable in thin branches.
claims of insects
In addition to the filling material mentioned above, you should consider the following aspects when setting up your insect hotel:
- a warm location
- lots of sun exposure
- Protection from birds and cats
- a food source in the area
- Protection against precipitation and moisture build-up
Sealed holes in the insect hotel
Well, suddenly the bamboo tubes are sealed with a layer of clay? This is a sign that bees have moved into your insect hotel. The seal serves to protect the brood, but is sometimes broken open by nest predators. Limit yourself to your observations and do not open the nest closures even if they remain in place for months. The larvae behind are still alive.
Clean insect hotel?
An insect hotel should be as natural as possible. Chemical cleaning agents therefore have no place in the shelter. The optics don't always have to be top notch either. The main thing is that the residents feel comfortable. Intervene as little as possible in what is happening.
Sometimes, however, unwanted guests like spiders also move into the insect hotel. In this case, you will be doing the insects a favor by regularly removing the webs.