An Insect Motel is a place offering sanctuary to beneficial insects in the garden, especially pollinators of vegetables and fruit trees. Insect motels are considered to be the urban solution to declining population of beneficial insects in human environments. This is due to habitats being lost through pollution and the use of insecticides and herbicides around the area they live in.

Insect Motels:

• Supplement the increasing loss of natural habitats.

• Encourage beneficial insects to help control garden pests.

• Stimulates biodiversity(variety of animals & plants in a habitat) and ecological balance(everything working together to create balance in the environment)in the garden.

• Offer an opportunity learn about how balanced ecosystems(plants, animals & microbes linked together through cycles and energy flows: marine ecosystem, rainforests and our gardens)work.

Common insects are butterflies and moths, worms, snails and slugs, spiders, centipedes, beetles, bees and wasps - we can attract them and give them a home in a variety of ways, from simply planting insect-friendly plants and flowers, and build habitats for them to live, hibernate and lay eggs for the next generation.

Lets make one for their winter home

Remember to send me photos of your Insect Motel: kate@motec.nz