Like most people, I have a love-hate relationship with bugs. I know that the presence of some bugs in our gardens and on our farms helps our crops thrive, but when I hear them buzzing in my home and see them scurrying along on my walls, I want them gone! Sometimes they get ushered right out the patio door and flung off the deck, other times it’s not quite so pretty.
I live with three boys, and none of them are scared of bugs. My husband can kill them barehanded (not even using a tissue!), and my boys are fascinated by them. They crawl around in the backyard with their eyes to the grass for hours looking for grasshoppers, beetles, moths, and other creepy crawlies. This is an afternoon well spent in their minds. So I decided we’d create a couple different bug houses so they can catch them and keep them (for just a little while). These bug houses are easy, fun, and a great way to get kids interested in learning more about the insects that we share our world with (unfortunately).
Mason Jar Mobile Home
Materials Needed:
Mason jar
Plastic canvas (the kind you use for needlepoint)
Directions:
- Cut the plastic canvas to fit the opening of the jar.
- Place it on the opening and gently screw the metal ring onto the top of the jar (without the metal cover).
- You can decorate the jar with bug stickers, googly eyes, paint, etc., or you can leave it undecorated so that you have an unobstructed view of what’s inside.
- Put some wet grass and leaves in the bottom of it so it’s ready for a tenant.
Pop Bottle Bungalow
Materials Needed:
Clean, empty plastic pop bottle
Wire mesh
X-acto knife
Duct tape
Directions:
- Lay the pop bottle on its side and cut a small rectangle out of the side of it using an X-acto knife (parents, you do this step).
- Cut the wire mesh so that it completely covers the opening you just cut.
- Secure the wire mesh over the opening using the duct tape. This is the bug’s air hole.
- Fill it with some wet grass and leaves and go on a bug hunt to find an occupant for your new bug house.
Kids are busy bees, and their minds are always working hard and growing! Encourage their curiosity about the world around them by building these cute bug houses that bring kids eye to eye with the smallest of creatures. They’ll be buzzing with excitement when their first tenant moves in!
