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How to Build a Bug Box

A bug box is a rectangular wooden frame with an interior chamber filled with bamboo or hollow reeds. Bug boxes are homes for beneficial insects such as ladybugs, spiders, lacewing flies and bees. Beneficial insects pollinate flowers and consume insects that harm or eat your plants. You can encourage these insects to live near your garden by hanging up a bug box. Make your own bug box with scraps of untreated wood and hollow reeds or canes.

Things You'll Need

Bamboo stems
2 untreated wooden boards, 4 by 12 inches, 1/2 inch thick
2 untreated wooden boards, 4 by 6 inches, 1/2 inch thick
8 wood nails
Hammer
Hack saw
Drill with bit set
Eye-screw
Hook screw

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a pair of 4 by 6-inch boards and a pair of 4 by 12-inch boards to serve as the frame of your bug box. The shorter boards will act as top and bottom while the longer boards will act as the sides. The box will be open in the front and back.
- 2
  Hammer two nails into the top and bottom of each side board (the 4 by 12 inch boards) to hold the "roof" and "floor" in place, creating a frame.
- 3
  Cut several bamboo stems into 4-inch sections with a hack saw. Fill the frame from bottom to top with the bamboo stems. The stems should be positioned so that, when viewed from the front, you can see through the stems to the other side -- much like an opened box of drinking straws. Pack them stems tightly to hold them in place.
- 4
  Attach an eye-screw to the top of the bug box. Drill a starter hole with a drill and then screw the eye-screw into the wood.
- 5
  Hang the bug box near an exterior wall of your home or garage allowing the overhang from the roof to partially shelter the box. Once you find the location where you want to hang the box, drill a starter hole and screw in a hook screw for the bug box to hang on.

Insects & Science