6 Best Bug Hotels of 2024

Constructed in the U.S. of rot- and pest-free cypress wood siding, with a solid copper-trimmed hipped roof and adornments, the Flutterbye butterfly house is a piece of garden art. Fluttering winged wonders enter through slats on the front where they can nest safely inside, away from dangerous predators. This hotel comes with a 30-inch mounting stake and a copper-covered clean out. One five-star reviewer wrote, “Solid construction and very pretty. I staked it into a walkway garden that I had planted butterfly-attracting plants in.”

The Heartwood lady bug house features horizontal slats that create large entry and exit ways. The roof lifts off for easy cleaning and observation and you can place the house on a deck or other flat surface, or use the included mounting pole. Providing a place for ladybugs is important because they eat unwanted aphids, mealy bugs and scale insects. Make sure you know about these house bugs and how to get rid of them, too.

Watch your children learn about nature’s biodiversity first hand—the 15-piece SmartLab Bug Playground is an educational STEM toy focused on entomology. Send the kids outside where they can observe and study the behavior of ants, beetles and crickets as these bugs romp around in a mini pool, tube, slide, climbing wall and jungle gym. The kit is easy to assemble and includes a bug catcher, base, lidded top, short side walls, long side walls and activity booklet.

The Kibaga mason bee house is made of bamboo and small enough to hang anywhere. It provides a safe and sustainable environment for non-swarming (solitary) mason bees (AKA orchard bees). To encourage these pollinators, the octagon-shaped exterior surrounds 60 bamboo nesting tubes where bees can feel safe. Hang the house from the included rope in a sunny, dry area.

Do your part to save bumblebees by providing these fuzzy pollinators with somewhere to nest. To attract wayward bumblebees to your garden, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust offers a free downloadable guide with step-by-step instructions on how to create a suitable site for the queen bee to lay her eggs. You can easily fashion this bee hotel out of an extra terra–cotta pot and a few other simple materials. Place your DIY hotel near bee-friendly flowers and plants for a greater chance of success.