We know that if we have a garden it is very normal for some pests to appear that are not exactly desired, however we can cope better if we build a insect hotel or insect shelter as some people call it, in addition to the fact that if we build a shelter for insects, production is likely to increase up to 20% due to the action of pollinators.
So the ideal in our organic gardens is to bet on biodiversity since each insect that is present in it has a purpose in our plants.
Benefits of installing an insect hotel in the garden
We have known through many articles the benefits that insects generate to our gardensparticularly ladybugs, lacewings or suffered, which are allies of the fauna that benefit the orchards, so it is important to know about them so that when we witness them in the garden, we do not worry but rather rejoice.
To develop our hotel there are many alternatives and it can be carried out in many ways, in this case we will give you the steps to build a hotel based on recyclable objects or materialsWe are going to make the structure with wood from pallets and we also take advantage of the bars of the chicken coops, for the rest we will only use small logs, pine cones, branches and canes. You will see that its construction and installation is very simple.
For the installation of the hotel it is recommended that you locate it in a place where strong wind currents do not reach it with a south orientation, it is also necessary that place it a little high so that the insects will find it easier to reach them at the time they are in our garden and will help protect it from possible predators and even prevent them from spoiling it.
We must know that by installing these hotels we are not necessarily making insects come to the garden, to attract them we must plant plants or flowersso that the auxiliary fauna helps us to combat certain pests and especially to pollinate the garden.
We will attract an insect like the lacewing which is a kind of fly very similar to the dragonfly which is one that feeds on other pests such as mealybugs. So it is very important that you are present at our hotel.
Also ladybugs that will help us fight pests such as aphids. And other insects that help pollinate the gardenwhich in other circumstances become predators of insects that if they are not desired in our garden.
Now we will tell you, step by step, how to make your hotel, since we first gave you the necessary materials. Keep in mind that there are many models of hotels for insects and that almost any material is useful to make them.
How to build an insect hotel
- Start by chopping the pallets into 40 centimeters, for the structure that will be square.
- Be sure to use screws instead of nails, it will be better for the job.
- For the roof boards that will also be 40 cm, you should cut a pallet board that is a little lighter and thinner.
- For the back and if you want the front as well, you should put the mesh to prevent the materials, such as the pineapple and the branches from coming off.
- Make sure that the hotel has several floors, so on each floor you will place the different materials.
- So for one of the floors you can cut several branches with different thickness, here you can shelter wasps and other insects.
- Another floor can have the reeds, it is necessary that you fill all the spaces that are in the floor of your hotel, the reeds can also host insects such as beetles, ladybugs and also wasps.
- And if you want you can use reusable cardboard for one of the floors, where various insects will also be sheltered.
- Finally, you can protect it with linseed oil, only on the roof, it is not necessary that it be applied to the entire structure.
