Make your own bug hotel

5 star accommodation for natures little helpers

If you have some bricks, wooden boxes or pallets to hand, why not build a multi-storey minibeast mansion and treat your guests to some 5-star accommodation?

Divide it into sections and stuff each part with different natural materials. Dry leaves, twigs, hollow stems, dead grass, pine cones and bits of bark are ideal. They’ll help to create warm, dry spaces that will attract different creepy crawlies.

Good for: lots of different types of minibeast such as ladybirds, bees, woodlice and spiders. You might even get frogs or hedgehogs coming to stay.

Alternatively make a log pile lodge

Decaying wood is really important for wildlife. To make a log pile, simply collect small logs, large sticks and pieces of rotting wood. Pile them up in a damp, shady area of your garden, then stuff some dead leaves in the nooks and crannies to make it cosy.

Good for: centipedes, woodlice and beetles who like to burrow into decaying wood. Log piles may also attract birds, frogs and hedgehogs looking for a tasty snack!