Six Fun Crafts for Creature Hospitality!

Are you curious to see more of the creatures who live in your area? Are they usually shy, remaining out of sight? Check out some of these creature hospitality crafts! These projects will provide helpful resources to some of your local critters, and hopefully enable you to get a better glimpse of them in the process.

DIY Birdfeeder

Bird feeders are the easiest, and probably the most popular, way to attract harmless wild visitors. There are many ways to make your own bird feeder, but one of the simplest is this: take an organic used paper towel roll, coat it in unsalted, natural peanut butter, and roll it in birdseed. If you don’t have access to birdseed, look for natural, unsalted sunflower seeds to use instead. You can hang this from a tree branch with string and watch the birds (and squirrels) feast!

Hummingbird Feeder

Hummingbirds are a stunning sight when they appear in the spring. They feed off of flower nectar, so they won’t be attracted to a normal bird feeder; but luckily, hummingbird feeders could not be easier to make. Simply heat water and dissolve sugar into it at a ratio of one part sugar to four parts water. Bring the water to a boil, let it boil one minute, stir to dissolve the sugar, and let the mixture thoroughly cool. You can then set it out in a dish or use a hummingbird feeder. If you’re lucky, you will be able to observe these beautiful creatures stopping by for a drink! As a note, don’t add red food dye to the sugar water. Although the color may attract the birds, the chemicals in the dye may harm them. Consider using a red dish for the water instead.

Birdhouse

It is easy to find a birdhouse-making kit at a local craft store. Birdhouses are usually quite simple to assemble, with a hammer and nails. Place the assembled birdhouse in a spot that’s out of reach of predators This is a great craft for early Spring, when most backyard birds build their nests.

Bat Box

Birds aren’t the only wild critters to consider helping out. You might not think of bats as especially friendly, but in fact, they are great neighbors. They are natural predators of pestilential bugs such as mosquitoes. You can offer them a place to roost, and they may significantly reduce your local mosquito population in return. Bat boxes have some important regulations, so be sure to research bat box regulations in your area; but rest assured, it is encouraged to offer these homes to bats. Bat boxes may be slightly more complex to assemble than birdhouses, but they are relatively easy work for someone who’s handy with tools.

Butterfly Garden

Butterfly gardens are a wonderful way to provide for your insect neighbors, especially if your garden includes the preferred host plants of butterflies or other insects which are native to your area. See our Butterfly Garden article for specific suggestions!

Bug Hotel

Bug hotels are homes for insects who serve a crucial role in the balance of your garden or other ecosystem. They are also an easy craft that does not require a kit to assemble. There are a variety of ways to assemble a bug hotel, but most options involve assembling bundles of hollow sticks, wood drilled with holes, and/or pinecones. Before you dismiss the idea of attracting bugs, remember: ladybugs, which are an excellent eater of garden pests such as aphids. You can learn more here.

Choose from the creature hospitality crafts based on the resources you have available and begin collecting the materials– and while you’re at it, look into a pair of binoculars!