6 Best Bug Hotels of 2024
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Ideal for beginning beekeepers, the Home Harvest Hive is designed for housing and raising bees naturally. The hive’s roof is peaked to shed water and ventilated to control airflow. It is painted white with a water-resistant finish, and it comes with two medium frames, but can accommodate up to 16 (sold separately). It also includes two hive boxes, two viewing windows, 18 top bars, an insulated quilt box, a screened-in base and support legs. And, it’s easy to assemble and easy to use! Happy shopper Jessica wrote, “Everything I expected! Super easy to assemble. Used a drill and it was together in 30 minutes.”
Types of Bug Hotels
- Butterflies: These bug hotels are designed to attract butterflies by providing sheltered spaces for them to roost and rest. They often feature narrow slits or slots where butterflies can enter and perch.
- Ladybugs: These structures are wooden boxes with compartments filled with straw or bark, offering cozy refuges for ladybugs to overwinter and lay eggs. “Our native ladybug species have a voracious appetite for aphids,” adds Phillips.
- Bees: “Most of our native bee species are solitary bees, which are very docile and incredibly efficient pollinators,” says Phillips. These bug hotels typically consist of small tubes or holes drilled into wood or bamboo, providing nesting sites for them to lay eggs.
- Lacewings: Lacewings are attracted to bug hotels with suitable nesting materials such as straw or twigs. They are beneficial insects that feed on garden pests. Phillips confirms, noting that the “larvae will devour aphids and mites.”
- Ground beetles: Ground beetles are nocturnal predators that feed on slugs, snails, caterpillars and insect larvae. “They patrol the soil for larvae and the eggs of pests,” explains Phillips. Bug hotels filled with mulch, leaf litter or rock piles provide shelter for them to hide during the day, so they can hunt for prey at night.
- Hoverflies: Hoverflies are welcome visitors in any garden ecosystem. Their larvae provide pest control, while adults assist in pollination, says Phillips. The best bug hotels to attract hoverflies are filled with straw, grass or hollow stems.
What to Look for When Buying a Bug Hotel
Think about where you plan to place your bug hotel. “If possible, choose a site protected from strong winds and rain in a partially sunny spot. Morning sun with afternoon shade provides warmth for insects to begin activity early in the day while offering protection from the sun during the hottest part of the day,” says Phillips.
Also check to ensure the bug hotel comes with all necessary mounting materials. According to Phillips, “You can mount your bug hotel on a wall, hang it from a tree branch or place it on a stand that is protected from direct exposure to the elements.”
Decide what type of bug you’re looking to attract. “Offering a selection of habitat types within your bug hotel can attract a larger diversity of species,” notes Phillips. Small leaf piles, pithy stems and other natural items provide a variety of sheltering spaces for insects, she says. On the other hand, she adds, “our native ladybugs prefer to overwinter in small twig piles; while solitary bees will lay their eggs in holes in wood and stems.”
Why You Should Trust Us
I cover many topics for Family Handyman and pests is one of my beats. I’m an expert when it comes to reviewing products. I know how to gather new items that the FHM audience will love, taking into account price, durability and customer reviews. My work has appeared in The Telegraph, Fodor’s, Italy Magazine, DK Eyewitness travel guides and others.
For this article we also interviewed Mary Phillips, the head of the National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife program and Certified Wildlife Habitat. Phillips ensures all habitat programs and resources are rooted in sustainable practices and the latest science. Since she started at the Federation in 2014, the Certified Wildlife Habitat program has grown by 64%.
How We Found the Best Bug Hotels
When selecting the best bug hotels, we began by researching a wide range of options available on the market, considering factors such as size, material, design and price point. We also looked for bug hotels that catered to specific insect species, including bees, ladybugs, lacewings and ground beetles, ensuring a diverse selection that could accommodate various beneficial insects. To narrow down our choices, we analyzed customer reviews to understand the real-world performance and durability of each bug hotel. Finally, we selected bug hotels that offered a balance of quality, functionality and value, ensuring that there was an option suitable for every garden and budget.
