BUILD A BUGBED &

BREAKFASTHosting Beneficial Insects in your Outdoor Space

Gil Lopez, Seasonal Outreach Assistant & Instructor

GreenBridge at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Fall 2015

BUILD-A-BUG B&B

WORKSHOP OUTLINE

Why a Bug B&B?Types of Insects

Construction IdeasDesign Considerations

Creating an Insectary GardenHands-on Bug BnB Building!

THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANTTHAN A GOOD, SAFE, SECURE HOME.

-ROSALYNN CARTERBug B&Bs are also known as: bug condos, bug

hotels, insect houses, wild bee walls, etc.

BBG Discovery Garden Insect MotelPhoto by Sarah Schmidt

WHY A BUG BED & BREAKFAST?

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)IPM is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices.

Biological control in IPM is the use of natural predators, parasites and nematodes (beneficials) to manage pest populations.

HUNTING & PARASITIC WASPS

Fun Fact:

One specie lays egg inside the hornworm, when they larvae consume the pest from the inside out, emerging to spin tiny cocoons and live on the caterpillar until emerging as adults and the hornworm dies.

Provide Habitat :

Drill holes in wood or provide bamboo or pith plant stems.

LACEWINGSFun Fact:

Larvae, which are pale with dark markings, look like tiny alligators and are also known as “aphid lions”.

Provide Habitat:

Roll up a piece of corrugated cardboard and put them in a waterproof cylinder, like an old pipe.

SOLITARY (NATIVE) BEES

Fun Fact:

There are about 477 species of bees native to NY state. The vast majority of these are solitary. Honey bees are non-native as they where introduced from Europe.

Provide Habitat by:

Bamboo, pithy stems, or wood with holes drilled in it.

EARWIGSAbout: Earwigs are mostly nocturnal scavengers, but some are omnivorous or predatory. After five to six instars, the nymphs will molt into adults. Pinchers look harmful but they do not bite people.

Provide Habitat by: Loose organic material attract the earwig. Try stuffing an upside-down flower pot with straw or hay.

CONSTRUCTION IDEAS

CONSTRUCTION IDEAS

BUG HABITATS BY THE NUMBERSDifferent insects like different habitats!

1 - Straw or wood for lacewings. 2 - Bamboo rods for mason bees. 3 - Upturned flower pots filled with hay attract earwigs. 4 - Wooden boards piled behind the plates for xylophagous insects. 5 - Pierced logs are very popular shelter for many pollinators like bees and solitary wasps. 6 - Bundles of pith rods from bramble, rose, elderberry, provide shelter for hoverflies. 7 - Bricks are appreciated by mason bees. 8 - Small board close together and sheltered attract ladybugs.

BUILDING MATERIALS

TOOLS

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Location, location, location!Signage can be fun

and helpful Consider screening it in

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Provide a diversity of plants nearby, including trees and shrubs.

Allow for undisturbed areas nearby

Provide some water

CREATING AN INSECTARY

GARDENThis is the Breakfast part!

INSECTARY PLANTS BENEFICIAL INSECTS ATTRACTEDAchillea filipendulinaAlyssum Amaranthus Anethum graveolens (Dill)Angelica gigas Convolvulus minorCoreopsis Cosmos bipinnatus DigitalisDaucus Carota (Queen Anne's lace) Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)Helianthus annulusIberis umbellataLimonium latifolium (Statice)Lupin Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)Petroselinum crispum (Parsley)Scabiosa (Pincushion flower)Shasta Daisy Sunflowers Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy) Verbascum thaspusYarrow

Lacewings, Aphidius, LadybugsHoverflies, Lacewings, Tachnid fliesGround beetles Ichneumon wasp, Ladybugs, LacewingsLacewings Ladybugs, HoverfliesHoverflies, Lacewings, Parasitic waspsHoverflies, Parasitic wasps, LacewingsDicyphus Lacewings, Ladybugs, HoverfliesDamsel bugs, Ladybugs, LacewingsPirate bugs, Beneficial mites Hoverflies Hoverflies, Parasitic waspsAphidius, Aphidoletes, Hoverflies Parasitic wasps, tachinid fliesParasitic wasps, hoverflies, tachinid fliesHoverflies, Parasitic waspsPirate bugs, Beneficial mites Pirate bugs, Aphidius, Parasitic waspsLadybugs, LacewingsDicyphus Hoverflies, Parasitic wasps, Ladybugs

Plants starting at top left: Buckwheat, Calendula, Yarrow, Poppy, Marigolds, Cornflower, Goldenrod, Tansy.

BENEFICIAL PREDATORS PREYAphidius Aphidoletes Beneficial mites Damsel Bugs (Nabidae)Dicyphus Ground Beetles Hoverflies Lacewings Ladybugs Pirate BugsTachinid flies Wasps (parasitic)

Aphids Aphids Thrips, spidermite, fungus gnats Eggs of many pest insectsWhiteflies, aphids, thrips, spider mitesSlugs, small caterpillars and grubs Aphids, mealybugs and othersScale, aphids, mites, softbodied insects Aphids, mitesThrips, aphids, mites, scales, whitefliesCaterpillars, beetle and fly larvaeWhiteflies, moth, beetle and fly larvae

pictured above, left to right: ichneumon wasp, lacewing, pirate bug, hoverfly, damsel bug

D.I.Y. TIMEIt is now time to gather our materials and start constructing our very own Bug B&B’s!