New columnist Adam Kirtland shows us how to make a cosy habitat for insects this winter
Those that knows me, will be all too aware of my passion for all things ‘do it yourself’. Only outdoors though, ask me to put up a shelf in the house and I’ll run a mile, but get me in the garden with a drill, saw and hammer and I’m raring to go. Ideas flow freely and if there is a pile of wood and some screws then I’ll whip up a project in no time.
Wood can be expensive nowadays so pallet wood is a good thrifty alternative. Pallets are used to distribute all manner of products, all over the world but once they’ve served their purpose, they’re often found languishing on driveways, in builders merchants, and at recycling centres up and down the country. That’s where I swoop in, take them home and craft them into something unique.
This week I’m sharing one such project with you and its something that I know you’ll be inspired to create at home too, for your own garden. How to make a safe haven for bugs – a bug hotel! You can buy these ready-made in garden centres and home DIY stores but my motto is ‘why buy, when you can make!’.
First source your pallets
Generally they are free, or if not, they are sold very cheaply so either way, it’s a bargain. For this project you’ll only need one pallet, so you could always use the remaining wood to make more bug hotels to give away as Christmas presents for other green-fingered friends.
How to get started
To break apart your pallet you can either use a crowbar (if you’ve got one) or just a hammer. Once you’ve broken it apart, you’ll be left with slats of wood.
Putting the structure together
For this sized hotel you’ll need four pieces that are about 30cm long (two for the roof and two for the upright supports), two 20cm pieces for the top and bottom, one 17cm piece for the middle and then two 14cm pieces for the vertical parts in the middle. Once you’ve cut those out with a saw then you’ll be able to assemble the basic structure of the hotel and then begin to put it together with a hammer and nails.
Time to get creative
Once that’s done, you can add chicken wire to one side and then add your fillings, I use bits of old wood, pinecones, and even old wool. The aim here is to create different sized spaces for different bugs to use and it’s fun to forage around the garden to see what you can find. Then, add another piece of chicken wire to the front to stop it all falling out and there you have, your own home-made bug hotel.
You’ve likely got most of these materials lying around already, so grab yourself a pallet and see what you can create!
Happy make, mend and do.
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