DIY is all the rage in gardening. Building your own wildlife shelter is a fun activity, especially with children. But is it always the best solution for biodiversity?
You already know where to place your hotel, but the question remains: should you get out the jigsaw or trust the professionals? Here is a comparison to help you decide.
1. Building your own hotel: Fun but risky Using pallets, bricks or old pots is economical. It’s a great way to recycle.
Warning: The number one mistake is to use treated wood (stained or varnished), which is toxic to insects. What’s more, if the holes in the wood aren’t perfectly smooth, splinters can tear the bees’ fragile wings when they fly in.
2. The limitations of ‘DIY’ A poorly designed hotel can become a death trap. According to several studies reported by associations such as Terre vivante, humidity is the number one enemy. A homemade shelter that is not waterproof will develop mould, killing the larvae that spend the winter there.
3. The advantage of the BetterflyBox model: Safety first Buying a hotel designed by experts is not laziness, it is a guarantee of safety.
- Healthy materials: We use natural rot-proof wood, without any chemical treatment.
- Thermal design: Our boxes are designed to maintain a stable temperature.
- Durability: Unlike an amateur construction that can collapse within a year, a BetterflyBox hotel is designed to last for years.
Conclusion: DIY is great for educational purposes. But if your goal is to maximise the survival of bees and pollinators, a professional habitat offers better health guarantees.