Cornell Cooperative Extension

Ulster County
Bug Hotel
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A bug "hotel"

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Building a Bug “Hotel”

  • Saturday, July 15, 2017, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

If you’ve never heard of a “bug hotel” we invite you to learn!  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. If you are an organic gardener, then you'll want to be sure there's a place in your garden for beneficial insects to lodge for the winter.

Dona Crawford, Master Gardener Program Coordinator, will demonstrate how to build a bug hotel from easy-to-find materials in your environment.  Insects have all sorts of nesting needs. By providing a variety of plant material in your bug hostel you will encourage various types of friends to lodge.  

Here are just a few of the species that benefit from a bug hotel:

  • Solitary bees like to nest in hollow stems for the winter. Contrary to their name, they often pack a number of bees in a stem before closing off the opening with mud and then having a good snooze until spring. 
  • Ladybugs 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 while eating aphids. 

This class is a part of the FREE gardening classes hosted by the Master Gardener Program through their “Learning in the Garden" series.  Classes take place at the Master Gardeners Program’s award-winning Xeriscape garden at SUNY Ulster (491 Cottekill Road in Stone Ridge) on the 3rd Saturday of each month, June through October.  

Appropriate for gardeners of any level, Learning in the Garden classes start at 10 am, rain or shine, and last about an hour (except for the Plant Sale, which runs from 10 am – 12 pm).  See below for the Learning in the Garden series schedule, and click on link for each class to learn more (for a printable brochure click here):

Walk-ins are welcome or you may register ahead. For more information or to RSVP, contact Master Gardener Coordinator, Dona Crawford, at 845-340-3990 ext. 335 or email dm282@cornell.edu.

Guided Tours: Free guided tours of the Xeriscape Garden are available by request for your group or organization. Call the Master Gardener Hotline at 845-340-3478.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County provides equal program and employment opportunities. Please contact the program office at 845-340-3990 if you have any special needs.

Fee

Free!

Location

SUNY Ulster
491 Cottekill Road
Stone Ridge, New York 12484

Last updated June 28, 2017

Walk-ins are welcome or you may register ahead.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Master Gardener Coordinator, Dona Crawford, at 845-340-3990 ext. 335 or email dm282@cornell.edu