Over half way and still so many random acts of wild to do!
Today's is a bit of a throwback, from July 2013 actually, when Youngest and I made three bug hotels. Two of the three are still in our garden, a little aged (aren't we all!) but still in active service and sheltering all sorts of creepy crawlies :)
It had been a hot week during July 2013 and over the weekend Eldest was doing his DofE. This meant we had a 'at a loss what to do' Youngest. So he and I decided (ok ok, I decided and he was dragged along) to build bug hotels. We accumulated all sorts of dried material - pine cones, twigs, old chrimby wreathes, bamboo canes, dried leaves and sticks. We'd been given a rather rickety bedside set of drawers to chop up for kindling, however in my eyes it was the perfect frame to stuff full to create sneaky hiding places for insects.
Youngest was a bit reluctant to help initially so I handed him the camera as I started. He soon joined in as he felt my efforts were not good enough! (My cunning plan worked then! hehehehe).
Himself rummaged around in his workshop and appeared with a small piece of roofing felt which was perfect to line the little cabinet and very soon Youngest was happily hammering away.
On a roll and now fortified by an iced drink Youngest with the help of Himself who'd supplied a couple of wooden drawers, started on the next bug hotel. By now I had been relegated to camera and support team. This one has not really stood the test of time - the pine cones lasted for the summer but by winter started to fall out. It's final demise was thanks to a large rambling rose falling down and dragging not only the arch but the bug hotel and dashing them to the floor.
Our third and final bug hotel has also succumbed somewhat to three winters but is still up and being lived in. Again it was the pine cones which initiated the decline however the slats of bark and bamboo canes were a success.
The cabinet bug hotel has moved around the garden over the years and now lives tucked in the bamboo where we suspect bees use - although they seem to appear and disappear from behind the hotel.
The two drawer hotels were not as successful but still used and in one case - still useful.
Youngest is now significantly taller than me and less likely to need 'entertaining' over a hot and 'boring' weekend. So, should any more bug hotels require construction, I suspect it will be just my camera and me :)
#30dayswild - what have you built for nature?
Those cones look the sort that will explode...as I found out one winter...all over the mantelpiece! x
ReplyDeleteAre you setting up in business building bug hotels. Brilliant post as usual.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing your bug hotels round your garden. I put a couple of hiding places round my lower garden but the bumble bees prefer sneaking into the shed but never settled.xx
ReplyDeleteGreat idea & I've seen many in UK, but none out here really. We probably think they might attract our "big" spiders. (lol).
ReplyDeleteI've seen your bug hotels and they are wonderful. I might be tempted to make one here as I have a couple of 'hidden' places where they should be safe.
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