Bugs and insects are really important for the plants, soil and animals all around us. They help plants to reproduce, keep our soil healthy and provide food for birds and animals. Insects need to find somewhere out of the rain and cold to spend the autumn and winter. A bug hotel is perfect - insects will love crawling in and finding a tiny corner to snuggle up in!

What you will need:

A container such as an old plant pot or yoghurt pot

A selection of:

Sticks & twigs
Dried leaves
Bamboo canes
Dried grasses
Old tree bark
Dead wood
Moss
Old pine needles
Pottery crocks
Secateurs or a hacksaw

What you need to do:

First, choose something to use for your container. It needs to be something that isn't going to get damaged in the wind and rain. An old flowerpot will work well, but you can also use half of an old plastic bottle,for example, or a large yoghurt pot. Old mugs work well, too, and can be hung from a tree by the handle.

Go for a walk and gather together all the parts for your bug hotel. You can use twigs, sticks, grasses and straw. Old stems of hogweed are very good because they are hollow. Moss, dried leaves, old tree bark and even pine needles make great homes for insects.

Stand your container up so that you can poke your sticks in easily. Start off with your twigs and bamboo sticks. Make sure the ends are lined up with the entrance to your container. You might need to snap some to the right size. If you are using bamboo canes for your bug hotel, measure them against your container and cut to the right length with secateurs or a hacksaw.

Keep poking in sticks and grasses, then fill in any of the gaps with pebbles, moss or pine needles until the container is tightly full - you want everything to stay in place once you turn it on its side.

Once your container is tightly packed, it can be turned on its side. Find a corner where insects might like to hide. They will like somewhere where they won't be disturbed and can rest in peace and quiet! After a few days, you might be able to see your hotel visitors popping in and out.

We decided to make a second smaller one too!