How to make your bug hotel

Don’t worry if you missed our bug hotel giveaway, you can still get involved with the Love Bugs mission! All you need to do is download the bug hotel worksheet at the bottom of this page, print it out on card to keep the bugs protected and make your own bug hotel at home!

There are full instructions on the worksheet, and if you need any more help – watch the video below.

Stuff you’ll need

• Scissors – make sure there’s an adult to help
• Glue, sticky tape or string (natural material if possible)
• Dry sticks or twigs – perfect for ladybirds to hibernate in
• Rolled newspaper or cardboard straws
• Dry leaves – to mimic what’s on the forest floor
• Straw – insects can burrow in and hibernate
• Loose bark – lots of insects and other minibeasts love to lurk beneath wood and bark
• Optional: recycled plastic bottles, toilet rolls and bits of cardboard

Steps

1. Colour in your bug hotel – make it yours!
2. Cut along the dotted lines on the top of this sheet
3. Fold along the lines to make a triangular shape
4. Stick down the tabs with glue or tape, or you could use string to secure
5. Tightly stuff your bug hotel with the materials listed on the left
6. Put your bug hotel on your patch of nature!

Don’t forget to let us know how you get on. Take a picture of your bug hotel and share it on social media, tagging us @BackyardNatUK and using #BackyardNature.

We would like to say a BUG thank you to HH Global for providing us with the support to make this mission possible.