Follow the build step by step, and see which tiny guest each room is made for.
Wild bees
Ladybirds
Bumblebees
Beetles
Surprise
1
Raise the frame
A small box with a roof — without it the hotel becomes wet and useless.
Structure
2
Hollow tubes for wild bees
Bamboo or reed stems, open at one end. Each bee lays one egg per tube.
Nesting
3
Pine cones for ladybirds
The cracks between the scales become perfect sleeping nooks.
Shelter
4
Straw for bumblebees
Dry hay gives the queen bumblebee a snug place to overwinter.
Warmth
5
Rotting wood and a surprise
Decaying wood feeds beetle larvae. The last room is the child's choice.
Diversity
What now?
Hang the hotel facing south, 1 to 1.5 metres above the ground. Who moves in first — and how long does it take? The child does not decide, and neither do you. The bees decide.