
When supporting the biodiversity of our environment, it is easy to overlook the contributions of the smallest creatures that inhabit our gardens. Insects are one of the most successful living organisms and constitute almost half of all species on earth. Too often we kill them without realizing that they are actually our allies. Some help decomposition by eating large amounts of dead leaves and spent organic matter while others eat caterpillars and small snails that attack our vegetables and flowers. Our bug hotel provides lots of different habitats for different kinds of helpful creatures to live in the summer and hibernate throughout the winter. Here are some of the materials we used to provide habitats for specific creatures: The hotel structure was made from recycled wooden pallets and off-cuts donated by Home Depot in Merrifield. Hollow stems, such as old bamboo canes, and holes drilled into blocks of...