A bug hotel is part garden art and part winter habitat for beneficial insects, the garden army that helps to keep the bad bugs under control. Here is how to make a beneficial bug house for all the good critters in your garden.
If you are an organic gardener like me, then you will want to be sure that there is a place in your garden for beneficial insects to lodge for the winter. Next spring, when they wake up, lay eggs, and sweep your plants clean of aphids and mites, you will thank me.
Oftentimes, these decorative displays of plant material intended to provide shelter to overwintering insects are called “bug hotels” or “insect houses.” Perhaps they should be called “bug hostels” because the rooms are available to all, but they do need to bring their own sleeping bag.
Okay, so bugs don’t have sleeping bags, but some do bring their eggs or larvae (sorry) for winter protection and gestation, while others have been known to fill up the hole with mud behind them.
Setting up different protected areas in your bug hostel will let the bugs find a room that suits them and prepare it as they wish.
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Each bug has different “lodging” preferences.
Types of Bugs to Attract
Ideally, we want to encourage those beneficial insects to take up residence in our bug hotel. Different insects need different materials, so what you include in yours depends on what insects you’re trying to attract.
Attracting Bees
Many garden bees are ground dwellers, so they won’t have a need for a hotel room. They will dig a little hole in the soil for winter hibernation, and you may see some groggy bumblebees when you are out digging in early spring if you wake them too early.
Solitary bees, however, like to nest in hollow stems for the winter. Contrary to their title, they will often pack a number of bees in a stem before closing off the opening with some mud and then having a good snooze until spring.
Attracting Ladybugs
Ladybugs like to overwinter as large groups in between dry plant material. Some twigs packed together give the ladybugs plenty of room to squeeze in and wait for warmer days and to eat aphids.
Attracting Beetles, Spiders, Lacewings, and Friends
Many other insects will have all sorts of different nesting needs. By providing a variety of plant material in your bug hotel, you will encourage all sorts of garden friends to lodge.
How can you be sure that you are only providing shelter for beneficial insects? Well, you can’t. It’s a tough world out there, and at times, bad bugs (earwigs – yuck!!) will move in. Some may even eat their neighbours. You can’t control what happens in the bug hostel, just trust that if you provide enough space for the good guys, you can create balance in the garden.
You can’t control which insects take up residence in your bug hotel.
How to Make a Bug Hotel
You can easily repurpose an existing wooden box if you have one, or build your own like I did. To fill it, you can do some foraging in your backyard!
Butterflies aren’t just beautiful, they are also helpful pollinators that will help our gardens thrive. Attract them to your yard with this butterfly feeder project. It’s an easy DIY project that will help keep your garden flourishing all year long.
Butterflies are magical creatures that grace us with their beauty. Their bright colours are a welcome addition to any garden. As with bees, they are essential pollinators. In fact, a butterfly’s lifecycle requires them to have host plants and food plants for pollination. Butterflies will keep your garden thriving and add a pretty pop of colour to your space too.
How do you attract them to your yard? There are many plants that they love, but an easy way to attract butterflies to your garden is to make a butterfly feeder.
If you’re looking for an extra way to support the butterflies in your garden, then follow these steps to make a butterfly feeder.
Butterflies love bright, warm colours.
How to Make a Butterfly Feeder
This simple DIY will keep butterflies coming to your yard month after month. Plus, the butterfly feeder is a pretty addition to your yard too. Here’s how to make one, step by step.
Butterfly Feeder Supplies
Plate – Any type of plate will do. The plate I used is shaped like a hibiscus flower. There are notches where the “petals” connect, making it easier to fit in the macrame-style holder. If you plan to use a round plate, you will also need to get a wall mount plate holder.
Mason line or twine – I used mason line to hang my feeder. I used it because it’s made from a synthetic material that will not deteriorate as fast as natural twine. The feeder will hang outside in an area with little shelter and I wanted to make sure the rope holds through the whole season.
Washer (or another metal ring)
Beads – The beads are optional. I like the way they dress up the feeder. Butterflies delight us with their beauty, so I decided to make this feeder extra pretty for them.
Get an inexpensive plate from the thrift or dollar store.
Make it!
First, cut 5 lengths of mason line about 3 feet long. I used 5 pieces of string because I have 5 petal notches on my plate. If you are using a round plate with a wall hanger, you should only need 4 lengths of string. Loop the pieces of string through the metal ring and tie a double knot. Do not worry about the ends at the moment.
If you are using beads, add them about 12 inches from the top. Make sure the beads all line up evenly. Then, tie a knot underneath each bead.
The beads are optional, used as decoration only.
Tie all the strings together about 6 inches down from the beads. Cut the excess mason line a half inch from the knot. Use a lighter or flame from a candle to lightly melt the edges of the strings. I melted mine all the way back to the base of the knot. Do this to the knot that’s securing the metal ring, too. This will keep frays at bay and help keep the knot from slipping.
Melt the ends of your string with a lighter.
Set the plate in the holder and hang it up in a sunny place in your garden. Then, add some butterfly food and watch them eat.
I added lemons, melon, and flowers to my butterfly feeder.
What Do Butterflies Eat?
Butterflies feed on nectar (sugar from a plant). So, fresh fruits work very well as butterfly food. You can also make nectar from honey and water, but I think it’s less messy to add some fruit to the plate.
Butterflies are attracted to red, yellow, orange, pink, and purple colours, so keep that in mind when selecting fruit. If you are worried about ants getting in on the feast, you can add a bit of water to the dish as a deterrent.
Orange slices work great as butterfly food.
Tips for Attracting Butterflies
A butterfly feeder is only one way to attract butterflies to your garden. If you want to keep them really happy, you will need to have plants that serve the needs of all the life stages of the butterfly. Adults need nectar, a safe place to lay their eggs, food for their larvae and a place to form chrysalides (cocoons).
In addition to the right plants, butterflies like full sun, a place to rest their wings, and a place to drink. An easy way to create a butterfly sanctuary is to plant bright flowers that love full sun, add a flat rock to the garden for the butterflies to bask, and put a small, shallow pan of water out for them to drink. You can read more about how to make a butterfly garden here.
Include plants in your garden to sustain butterflies during each life stage.
Butterfly-Friendly Plants
You really cannot go wrong with any type of brightly coloured flower for butterflies. However, remember that the plants must support the larvae and cocoons as well. There are many butterfly-friendly plants, so the chances are you can find a few that will suit your growing zone. Here’s a list of some plants that will attract butterflies to your garden:
Butterflies aren’t attracted to blue, so include lighter shades of purple instead.
Find out more about why some butterflies love milkweed and how to grow it in your garden here. In addition to having a pretty flower garden, you can attract these lovely pollinators at the same time, a perfect garden partnership.
Now, don’t forget about the bees! Here is how to attract them to your garden (and a bee bath project that the butterflies will love).
Butterflies and bees aren’t the only beneficial insects you want in your garden! Find out about the 7 best bugs for the garden.
More Ways to Support Pollinators
How to Make a Butterfly Feeder
Keep these pretty pollinators active in your garden with this simple DIY butterfly feeder.
Cut 4 pieces of mason line into 3 foot sections.
Loop the pieces through the metal ring and tie with a double knot.
Add beads to the line about 12″ from the top, lined up evenly. Tie a knot under each bead to keep in place.
Tie all the strings together about 6″ underneath the beads, then cut the excess line about 1/2″ away from the knot.
Do the same to the knot that’s holding the metal ring too to prevent fraying.
Add your plate and hang it in a sunny place in the garden, topped with butterfly food.
Debbie Wolfe is a mom of two rambunctious boys, wife, and work-at-home mom from Georgia. In her free time (when there is such a thing), she is in the garden or hidden away reading the latest post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama! As interests, Debbie is an obsessive crafter, home chef, and gardener. She is a freelance writer, blogger, and is a co-author and photographer behind the garden blog, The Prudent Garden; a collection of tips, crafts, and articles that highlight home gardening.
Butterflies are beautiful to watch flitting about the garden. Plus, they are essential pollinators for a large number of plants. Many butterfly populations are dwindling right now, but with a few minor tweaks in the garden, we can help save these pretty pollinators and enjoy their beauty and benefits in the garden at the same time. Read on to discover which plants butterflies need during their life cycle, and what to grow to create the ideal butterfly garden.
I think we can all agree that butterflies are one of the best things Mother Nature has come up with. With colours as bright and beautiful as the flowers we grow in the garden, they provide so much joy to every person they pass by.
Not only are they providing us with beauty, but they’re also important pollinators for our garden plants. For many of our pollinators, it becomes difficult to live in urban spaces where pesticides and concrete run rampant.
Here’s how you can support your local butterflies and ensure you build a beautiful and ideal space for the little pollinators.
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West Coast lady butterfly (Vanessa Annabella)
Know the Butterfly Lifecycle
In order to attract butterflies, it is important to understand their life cycle and the specific needs that go along with it.
Egg: Butterflies begin as eggs laid on the leaves of host plants.
Caterpillar: The egg hatches into a caterpillar, which at this stage does nothing but eat! It eats its way out of the egg to gain nutrients and then eats its host plant, which is why it needs to be located on the right plant for that type of butterfly.
Cocoon: Once the caterpillar has eaten enough to grow to its full size, it makes a cocoon or “chrysalis.”
Butterfly: Inside the cocoon, it metamorphoses into a butterfly. Just a few weeks to several months later (depending on the species), it emerges as a mature butterfly. After just a few hours, the butterfly gains enough strength to begin flying and pollinating flowers.
Having the right host plants for native butterflies in your area is essential for supporting them.
Plants That Support the Butterfly’s Lifecycle
Their life cycle requires butterflies to have both host plants for the larval stage and food plants for mature butterflies to pollinate.
Because species in different regions have evolved along with the area’s plant life to coexist, butterflies need to have native plants available to them. It is important for butterfly populations to have spaces kept entirely wild, weeds and all, such as nature preserves.
From small urban gardens to fields of wildflowers, every butterfly-safe environment helps. Creating your own butterfly garden helps to offset any habitat that has been destroyed due to development or maintenance.
Butterflies, too, can be affected by pesticides, and ensuring we grow safe plants for them helps to provide a place for them to thrive year-round.
How to Make a Butterfly Garden
Don’t worry, creating a butterfly garden doesn’t mean encouraging a bunch of weeds (although if you do decide to let a few live here or there, butterflies will appreciate it).
Gardeners who want a manicured look, as well as a butterfly garden, have many options for pretty plants that attract butterflies and provide them with what they need throughout their life cycle.
But first, here are a few additional things you need to complete your butterfly garden.
A Sunny Area
Butterflies thrive in the sun. As ectotherms, they rely on external sources in order to stay warm. Before they can fly, they need to make sure their body temperature is warm enough.
You’ve probably seen them perched on a sunny leaf with their wings on full display. This is them soaking up the sun! So, on the next sunny day, sit back and watch your visitors check out their favourite plants and sunbathe.
Tree Nymph butterfly (Idea leuconoe)
A Butterfly Feeder
A butterfly garden needs the right plants growing in sunny areas and a safe place for mature butterflies to lay their eggs. You can make your habitat even more attractive by putting together a butterfly feeder for them to snack on.
Butterflies feed on nectar, which is sugar from a plant. Fresh fruit also provides this for the butterflies. This is a good way to add supplemental nectar to the garden when there may be fewer blooms or if you notice a ton of butterflies.
However, having native plants with lots of nectar throughout the season is the best source!
Use up old fruits that are about to go in the compost bin.
Mud Puddles
Did you know that butterflies adore mud? They congregate around muddy areas, which gives them salt and nutrients. You can help them out by placing a shallow pan of water out for them. They often avoid birdbaths and other pools because the water is too deep.
A shallow pan gives them access to water for drinking and puddling. Adding some gravel or sand at the bottom helps, as well as rocks for basking in the sun.
Common Butterflies and Their Host Plants
Choosing native plants or a standard butterfly seed mix will attract various butterflies that are native to your area, but if you are looking to attract particular butterflies, your best bet is to plant the specific host plants that species in your area use.
Here are some of the most common butterfly species and the host plants that they require for the larval stage.
Once butterflies reach the mature stage of their life cycle, they are attracted to brightly coloured flowers with flat tops, short flower tubes, or flower clusters.
There are many butterfly-friendly plants, so the chances are you can find a few that will suit your growing zone. Here’s a list of some plants that will attract mature butterflies to your garden as long as they have host plants nearby as well.
By the way, milkweed might be one of the most beloved butterfly foods!Learn how to grow milkweed and find out why they love it so much. In addition to having a pretty flower garden, you can attract these lovely pollinators at the same time, creating a perfect garden partnership.
Red postman butterfly (Heliconius erato)
Supporting Other Pollinators
Moths are often forgotten about, but they are also beneficial pollinators and can be very beautiful. To attract moths to your garden, plant night-blooming flowers such as evening primrose (Oenothera), phlox (Phlox x arendsii), and fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium).
Butterflies and bees aren’t the only beneficial insects you want in your garden! Find out about the 7 best bugs for the garden.
Just because they don’t have bright, beautiful wings doesn’t mean they’re not important pollinators, too.
FAQ About Butterfly Gardens
What is the most common garden butterfly?
The most common butterfly varies depending on where you live. The most common globally is the painted lady species, which is found on every continent besides Antarctica and South America. Other common butterflies include monarchs and swallowtails.
What is in a butterfly garden?
A butterfly garden supports butterflies at every stage of their life. This means it’s important to have the host plants for the butterfly to lay eggs on and for the caterpillars to munch.
Then, you’ll need flowers to provide nectar. Butterflies like bright flowers with flat tops, as well as short tubular flowers. When in doubt, plant some native species for the pollinators in your neighbourhood.
A butterfly garden can also include a shallow bath with stones for butterflies to safely drink and puddle from.
Where is the best place to plant a butterfly garden?
Place your butterfly garden in the sun, as butterflies are ectotherms and rely on the sun to keep their bodies warm. Also, consider placing your butterfly garden away from anywhere there might be pesticides and away from bird feeders.
If you are a bug magnet like I am, you will appreciate this (dare I say) life-changing project! Make these DIY citronella candles and experience for yourself how well an effective mosquito-repellent candle can work! I especially appreciate that these candles are made with all-natural materials, with no toxic harmful ingredients included.
If you are anything like me, the summer months are the perfect season to spend time outside. In typically cooler climates like where I live, the long, warm summer days are perfect for gardening and soaking up the sun outside. There’s just one tiny problem: mosquitoes.
I don’t know what it is, but mosquitoes seem to absolutely love me (that love is not returned!). Mosquitoes leave me with large, itchy welts as they feast in the morning and evening hours. Ugh!
Thankfully, after years of experimenting and lots of trial and error, I have developed a few methods for keeping these pests at bay naturally. One of my favourite methods are these DIY citronella candles.
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Even made out of recycled materials, these citronella candles can look really cute.
Do Citronella Candles Really Work?
I originally published this post in 2016, and since then, there’s been a lot of discussion surrounding the topic of citronella candles and their effectiveness for repelling mosquitoes.
Lately, several articles have been published citing a study claiming citronella candles don’t work. However, that’s not what the study actually shows.
The studies say if you are trying to protect yourself from Zika, Malaria, or other mosquito-borne illnesses, you should not rely upon a citronella candle.
I completely agree with this! If you are going somewhere where those diseases are heavily present, or if you are at higher risk, I would not rely on citronella to keep you safe.
That being said, if you are out in your garden, or on your patio having a glass of wine, and you put a few of these candles around to protect your space, they can be effective.
Not because mosquitoes are disgusted by the smell, but rather because it can help mask your scent. As you burn the candles, it consistently releases the oil into the air, which keeps your scent hidden.
Citronella candles have about a 40% effective rate.
The studies have shown that citronella candles work about 40% of the time. This means that 60% of the time, you may end up with bites.
I’d still much rather use an all-natural bug spray in combination with citronella candles to reduce the chances of getting bitten than dose myself in DEET and chemicals daily just to prevent bites.
Is it 100% effective? No. But, when used in combination, I think it can be an effective ally in the fight against mosquitoes.
That’s why I arm myself with a combination of citronella candles, my mosquito-repelling container garden, and my DIY bug spray that uses natural essential oils. This combination is an effective one-two punch that keeps those pesky mosquitoes far, far away without exposing myself (and my garden!) to any harmful chemicals.
I use citronella candles, especially at night, when the heat has died down and the mosquitoes come out.
Other Scents to Use in Citronella Candles
Truth be told, I’m personally not overly crazy about the smell of citronella, but I’ll happily deal with it to avoid performing a constant ridiculous-looking dance of smacking myself to kill the flying pests.
While the most effective candles will still be primarily citronella, feel free to add a few other fragrances. To make the candles smell better to me (but still effective), I have played with adding a couple of additional scents to my latest batch of citronella candles, such as:
You may have to experiment a bit and see which combination you like best, but that’s part of the fun of making DIY candles.
More herby and other citrus scents pair best with citronella.
How to Make Citronella Candles
With a few simple, natural ingredients and just a little bit of time, you will have your own mosquito-repellent candles to use all around your yard!
Materials
If you’re using recycled containers, ensure they’re clean and dry before starting.
Make It!
1. Add the wicks to the center of your can or container. The best way I have found to use this is with a hot glue gun. Make sure to press the wick down firmly (and carefully as the hot glue can burn).
If you are using a larger container, you can add two or three wicks spaced apart around the center.
Don’t skip this step. Otherwise, your wick will be moved and float around.
2. Assemble your double boiler and add wax or old candles in small pieces. Don’t worry so much about bits of wick or other specks in the wax, as you won’t see them in the candles when they are done.
This is a great project to reuse your old candle wax.
3. Heat the wax over medium heat until it is completely melted. This won’t take too long. Stir every once in a while to help it melt evenly.
Break up larger wax chunks so they melt faster.
4. When the wax is melted, it’s time to add the fragrance. Add 1 oz of citronella oil per pound of wax and augment the scent with 0.5 oz of other scents per pound. If you prefer just citronella, you can use 1.5 oz per pound.
Add in fragrance after the wax has melted so you don’t burn off the fragrance.
5. Let the wax cool slightly and carefully pour into containers. I can usually gently maneuver my wicks to stay in the center as the wax cools, but if you are having trouble, secure the wicks with a chopstick or clothespin to keep them in line.
If you want the wicks perfectly center, use a clothespin or wind them around a bamboo skewer to hold them in place.
6. Allow your candle to cure for 48 hours undisturbed before burning. Trim the wick to about 1/4 inch before you light it. Then, once it’s lit, let the candle burn so that there is a full, wide pool of wax before you blow it out. This is how you get an even burn for the life of the candle.
The first light of a new candle is important, as it will ensure it remains even for the remainder of the candle’s life.
Citronella Candle-Making: Helpful Tips
If you are new to making candles (or making citronella candles), take a quick look at these helpful tips to ensure success with your efforts:
Be careful not to disturb them too much and set them in a warm place to cool. Cooling slowly and completely will create the best looking candles.
If you get a depressed area around the wick when cooled, warm up some more wax and pour it into the void.
Decorate your citronella candles by wrapping them in burlap, twine, and/or yarn.
Store them near the garden, deck, or patio so you can quickly light up when the pests start buzzing around.
Use a few citronella candles around your entertaining area for maximum effort.
Re-Use Old Supplies to Save Money
Even though this project is fairly inexpensive, there are costs involved—and ways to save a little money. Here are some helpful tips to help you save a little when making your citronella candles.
Reuse Containers
You may notice from the pictures that these mosquito-repellent candles are in cans. I love this project because making citronella candles in cans is not only a great, natural way to keep mosquitoes at bay, but it’s also a great recycling project that reuses your cans.
Plus, it’s a simple and inexpensive project, much like the soy beeswax jar candles I made not too long ago.
I love using old metal cans for this project. They don’t even have to be shiny. Rusty ones look amazing! However, if you don’t have any cans, you can also use glass jars.
My only caution when using glass is to avoid using very large jars. I recommend keeping them to pint-size or smaller so that the glass doesn’t break when the hot wax heats up the jar.
I store my unused candles in this outdoor tote, which is great decor itself.
Reuse Old Wax
The cost of wax is the most costly part of this project. If you want to cut down costs, scrape old wax out of previously used containers and melt it back down for your new candles.
Tip: If you want to try this, freeze your containers with old wax overnight, then the next morning, take a butter knife and carefully peel the wax away from the edges of the container. You’ll likely have chunks coming out at a time!
Wrap your candles in yarn, twine, or burlap for extra cute decor.
FAQ About Making Homemade Citronella Candles
What kind of citronella oil do you use?
I use citronella essential oil. You can get it fairly inexpensively at candle shops or online. You can also use fragrance oils, which tend to be cheaper and are less “clean,” but you will still get the job done.
What is the wax to citronella ratio?
I add 1 oz of citronella oil per pound of wax, and then add in 0.5 oz of other scents of my choice. If you’re going to use just citronella oil as your scent, you can do 1.5 oz of it.
How can I stick wicks to the bottom of the can?
I just use a hot glue gun to keep my wicks secure to the bottom of the container. If you do not have a hot glue gun, you can use wick stickers as well.
I hope that this guide helps you to make your own citronella candles easily!
I even like the look of a plain, rusty can!
More Ways to Stop Mosquitoes
DIY Citronella Candles
My guide showing you how to make citronella candles from upcycled tin soup cans, recycled candle wax and natural citronella oil.
1. Using the hot glue gun, affix the wicks to the bottom of the cans and press it firmly into the center.If you are using a larger can, add two or three wicks spaced apart around the center.
2. Assemble your double boiler and add wax or old candles in small pieces. Don’t worry so much about bits of wick or other specks in the wax as you won’t see them in the candles when they are done.
3. Heat over medium heat until the wax is completely melted.
4. When the wax is melted, it’s time to add the fragrance. Add 1 oz of citronella oil per pound of wax and augment the scent with 0.5 oz of other scents per pound.
5. Let the wax cool slightly and carefully pour into containers. I can usually gently maneuver my wicks to stay in the center as the wax cools, but if you are having trouble, secure the wicks with a chopstick or clothespin to keep them in line.
6. Allow your candle to cure for 48 hours undisturbed before burning. Then, when you fire it up, let the candle burn so that there is a full, wide pool of wax before you blow it out. It is said that candles have a memory, so it’s best to let the first burn set the tone for all the rest.
