A photo of a homemade bug hotel on Reddit had commenters crawling out of the woodwork to offer mixed opinions.
"Bug house for the patio garden," the caption read. "Scrap wood, scrap mesh, pine cones and nails." The bug house, which consists of several sections stacked with hollowed-out reeds, pine cones, and moss, is covered in a wide metal mesh. All of it is designed to provide a safe, predator-free area for bugs to live.
"It provides some inviting terrain," the user explained, "for insects to nest in that might not otherwise be convenient. Our patio is decently far from any proper tree canopy so it's meant to encourage pollinators and good predators (like ladybugs) to live close to my container garden."
Many commenters were enthusiastic about the project. "What an amazing bug hotel … I want to make one this awesome!" one person commented. "Kudos for helping the local bee population," enthused another.
Indeed, it's a little-known fact that the majority of bee species — 70%, to be specific — actually don't live in hives. Instead, these bees nest in solitary burrows and lay their eggs underground. But nesting in fallen leaves and shallow dirt often proves dangerous, especially when rakes and lawnmowers churn up their territory. Protecting these bees, which are important local pollinators, is one reason that building these bug hotels has grown so popular.
And, while supportive, other Redditors chimed in with practical advice. "You have made a bird buffet!" one person commented. "It looks great, but you actually need more mesh over the whole front to prevent a bee house turning into an all you can eat snack board for your local bird population."
Another added, "Make sure to change out the wood every year or else you will be spreading an immense amount of diseases in the wild bee populations … Bees from all over the area will nest here and deposit viruses, bacteria, and parasites into the wood, which will cling on to new eggs every year." Anyone doing this would need to take care not to kill any remaining insects or salamanders when making the swaps, with the simplest option to put the old wood out in the sun.
For those interested in rewilding their yards, a well-made bug hotel can be an excellent addition to the local ecosystem. Just make sure the buffet is closed for business!
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
