In a natural garden, an insect hotel is almost mandatory. The hustle and bustle of the residents is not only beautiful to look at, but also promotes the pollination of your plants. If you like it completely natural, a tailored house, which you often get in stores, is rather inappropriate. Build your own insect hotel from natural materials. On this page you will learn how a tree trunk can easily be turned into an environmentally friendly dwelling.
Soft wood, which may swell, should not be used for an insect hotel
Requirements for the tree trunk
- Height: at least 30-40 cm
- Untreated wood
- No sharp edges
- Hardwood only, never softwood
The size of the tree trunk is decisive for the diversity of species that will later move into your insect hotel (€11.33). Only the specified dimensions allow the creation of different compartments. Furthermore, only wood from deciduous trees is suitable. Softwood threatens to resin even after processing. The animals get stuck in the secretion and starve.
Build an insect hotel from a tree trunk yourself
Maybe you still have an old tree trunk from the last garden renovation. You can hollow it out yourself with a little effort and a suitable tool. Otherwise, you can find suitable tree trunks in the nursery. However, the wood must not be treated.
material
- Tree trunk with the above dimensions
- saw
- Gouge for hollowing out
- Filling material (see below)
- Waterproof, non-toxic paint
filling material
- moss
- straw
- bricks
- cones
- wood wool
- thin branches
- bamboo
Action
- Paint your tree trunk red. The color magically attracts insects.
- Fill the tree trunk and, if necessary, fix loose parts with a wire mesh (simultaneously bird protection).
- Place your insect hotel in a warm location.
Set up an insect hotel
It is best to align your insect hotel to the south. The animals like it warm and are particularly active in the sun. In addition, a source of food should be nearby. Therefore, let wild herbs proliferate or green your garden in some other way. Cats should not be able to get to the hotel.