How to Use Insect Hotels: Common Questions
Insect hotels are one of the simplest ways to invite more pollinators and pest-eaters into your garden. They give solitary bees and lacewings a safe place to nest, and those insects pay you back by pollinating your crops and eating aphids. The catch is that a poorly chosen or poorly placed hotel can do more harm than good, so a few details matter. Here are the questions I get asked most about using them.
Learn more about how to attract beneficial insects to your garden in this guide.
Key Takeaways for Using Insect Hotels
- Insect hotels attract beneficial insects like solitary bees and lacewings that pollinate crops and control pests.
- Choose insect hotels made from untreated wood with various hole sizes, placed in a sunny location, 3-5 feet above ground.
- Install insect hotels in early spring for best results, before temperatures exceed 55°F (13°C).
- Regularly inspect for mold and replace nesting materials as needed to maintain a healthy environment for insects.
- Enhance your garden by planting flowering herbs, avoiding pesticides, and creating spaces for other wildlife.
Table of contents
- 1. Why would I want an insect hotel in my garden?
- 2. Which kind of insect hotel is best?
- 3. When is the best time to install an insect hotel in my garden?
- 4. Where is the best place to put an insect hotel?
- 5. What do I need to do once I’ve installed my insect hotel? Is there any maintenance?
- 6. What else can I do to attract beneficial insects and other forms of wildlife to my garden?
- Frequently Asked Questions About Insect Hotels
1. Why would I want an insect hotel in my garden?
Insect hotels typically attract solitary bees, including mason bees, leaf-cutter bees, lacewings, and more.
- Bees are an important part of any garden, as they pollinate the fruits, herbs, flowers, and vegetables we grow there.
- Solitary bees are harmless and not aggressive. They are often called “super pollinators” as they are very effective at pollination.
- Lacewings are best known for feasting on aphids but also help control mites, caterpillars, and whiteflies.
2. Which kind of insect hotel is best?
- Look for insect hotels made from natural, untreated wood free from varnish, paint, and wood protectant. I use this one from Amazon.
- They should have a variety of hole sizes (small holes are best) to attract different species.
- Several small holes are preferable to one large hotel. Larger hotels are more vulnerable to parasitic wasps and bees.
- They should have a sturdy back and a roof to protect them from rain.
3. When is the best time to install an insect hotel in my garden?
Put insect hotels in place in the early spring so the insects can nest after hibernation. Put them in place before temperatures rise above about 55°F (13°C).
Want to learn more about creating a pollinator-friendly garden? Read Perennials for Pollinators in Your Desert Garden for tips on supporting local wildlife and promoting a healthy garden ecosystem.
4. Where is the best place to put an insect hotel?
- Insect hotels should face east or southeast to attract solitary bees. Full morning sun is best.
- Place them 3-5 feet (1-1.5 meters) above ground.
- The area in front should be free of plants and vegetation that would obscure the tunnel entrances.
- Make sure it is mounted properly and remains stationary. It should not shake or move in windy conditions.
5. What do I need to do once I’ve installed my insect hotel? Is there any maintenance?
Inspect the hotels at the end of each summer for mold. You may also want to remove and replace tubes. Consider replacing the nesting blocks every couple of years to avoid mite and parasite buildup.
The most important thing to know about insect hotels is that a neglected one can hurt the insects you’re trying to help. Damp or dirty tunnels become breeding grounds for mites and parasites. To keep yours working: inspect it at the end of summer for mold, replace the tubes or nesting blocks every year or two to prevent mite and parasite buildup, and choose a hotel with removable tubes so cleaning is actually possible. Cleaning up decaying plant matter can help manage roly poly infestations. Learn more about how to get rid of pill bugs in this guide.
6. What else can I do to attract beneficial insects and other forms of wildlife to my garden?
- Plant a variety of flowering herbs and flowers like alyssum and calendula that provide nectar and pollen to attract pollinators.
- Don’t use pesticides.
- Create space for other garden beneficials like toads, bats, and owls.
- Learn how to attract ladybugs to your garden in this guide.
- Support pollinators with the right plants and placement. Find out what works in Planting for Pollinators: Create a Simple Insectary Border in Your Garden.
Frequently Asked Questions About Insect Hotels
At least once a year. Tunnels that stay damp or dirty become a home for mites and parasites that prey on the bees you’re trying to protect, so a neglected hotel can do more harm than good. Inspect it at the end of summer, clean or replace the tubes, and swap out nesting blocks every year or two. Choose a hotel with removable tubes so cleaning is actually possible.
Insect hotels do best facing east or southeast with full morning sun and some shade later in the day, which keeps them from overheating in the afternoon. Bat houses are a different story. In a low desert climate, a poorly placed bat house can get too hot for the bats inside, so if you’re adding one, pay close attention to placement and afternoon shade. I don’t have firsthand experience with bat houses, so I’d look to a local bat or wildlife group for placement advice here.
What about sun exposure on insect and bat houses? Our local bat population has decreased with cutting down old trees in area. I thought of putting up bat houses but was told that these houses just cook the occupants in our intense heat.
Hi. I don’t have any experience with bat houses. However, I have heard of people using them and they may work in the right location.
I also read it is incredibly important to wash them thoroughly each season. They become a home for mites and other parasites that prey on our pollinators! Often they do more harm than help when they become infested.