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In this instructable im going to show you how to make a quick, cheap and easy Beneficial Bug Houses!
So why and what is a Beneficial Bug?
Did you know, your garden is an important refuge for wildlife and can be an amazing place to watch it?
Your garden will be packed full of mini beasts, not as big maybe as animals you see in the Serengeti but, the raw action will be just the same!
Imagine the scene. Herbivores, quietly grazing, some cunningly camouflaged to avoid detection. Hungry predators prowling, waiting for the chance to pounce. Then, the carnivore rushes in to seize its prey! What Drama!
The only difference is& it's scaled down a bit!
Through the summer this scene is played out every day. Ladybirds, lacewings and ground beetles are voracious hunters and tend to eat the more harmful creatures that blight our gardens.
If we can encourage these animals to our garden, we can benefit and so will our environment. We can encourage pollinators too. Bees and butterflies will help our flowers bloom and their presence in the garden adds other dimensions of sound, colour and movement!
So why and what is a Beneficial Bug?
Did you know, your garden is an important refuge for wildlife and can be an amazing place to watch it?
Your garden will be packed full of mini beasts, not as big maybe as animals you see in the Serengeti but, the raw action will be just the same!
Imagine the scene. Herbivores, quietly grazing, some cunningly camouflaged to avoid detection. Hungry predators prowling, waiting for the chance to pounce. Then, the carnivore rushes in to seize its prey! What Drama!
The only difference is& it's scaled down a bit!
Through the summer this scene is played out every day. Ladybirds, lacewings and ground beetles are voracious hunters and tend to eat the more harmful creatures that blight our gardens.
If we can encourage these animals to our garden, we can benefit and so will our environment. We can encourage pollinators too. Bees and butterflies will help our flowers bloom and their presence in the garden adds other dimensions of sound, colour and movement!
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Signing UpStep 1What We Need
This is a short, and simple list:
Glue gun
Ruler
Bamboo
Jr. Hacksaw
Old wooden box
(For very best results you will want to use a wood like oak that will weather well, and avoid any wood that has been treated as this could kill the very bugs you want to encourage....The bugs like rotting wood much more for a home then something that has been recently covered in chemicals)
Glue gun
Ruler
Bamboo
Jr. Hacksaw
Old wooden box
(For very best results you will want to use a wood like oak that will weather well, and avoid any wood that has been treated as this could kill the very bugs you want to encourage....The bugs like rotting wood much more for a home then something that has been recently covered in chemicals)
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1)is there a separation between the side with the bamboo/side with the door?
No, there is no separation, this letterbox style of hole above the bamboo is a favorite of ladybirds.
2)What is the purpose of the side with the door?
The door has holes drilled in it to attract a range of flying insects. the point of the door is due to you having to fill the box above the bamboo with straw to make a nice warm dry habitat.
3)what is it that they like about the house, specifically? I guess the tubular cells are good for nesting- is there more to it?
The bamboo is very much for Solitary Bees, with over 250 species of bees over 90% of them are solitary bees, and most will nest in the dead hollow stems of plants.
The rest of the bugs need a dry warm place to nest, this is where the top compartment come into effect.
4) Can one use straws/piping/tubing instead?
I've seen PVC, and card tube use successfully.
Hope this helps....if not ask away! :)
Also, lovely idea, and a lovely 'ible. You should be proud, this was well done.
this should work. my dad usually have been having some pine boxes with eucaliptum leaves inside to attract bees... some smaller bees, here we call abelha(bee) mirim the honey(hmmm we call mel... I have used the google translator) of theses bees are amazing!