Make a Quick and Easy Bug House Using Recycled Materials

When a mystery baby tree frog moved into my son's bug house we soon realized that we were in need of a new bug house. Below you will find a quick and easy bug house that either you can make for that special bug collector in your life, or that they can make for themselves using mostly recycled materials.

What You Will Need:

An old baby bottle or a small Ball type jar
Mesh netting (You can buy some at the fabric departments of stores) or fiberglass screening

How To Make It:

1. Take your old baby bottle and push the nipple out from the top. What you will be left with is the outer ring with a hole in the middle. (If you are using the Ball type jar, you will need to remove the tin center of the jar so that you, too will be left with the ring with the hole in the middle.)

2. Cut a square of your mesh netting or fiberglass screening making sure that it is about one inch larger than the opening of your lid's hole. It's suggested that you use a square piece versus a circular one so that you will have the points to hang down and keep your top more secure. It's also easier to place over the top than a circular one would be.

3. Remove your lid if it is screwed on to the top of the jar or bottle still. Now, lay your mesh netting or fiberglass screen on the top of the open baby bottle or the Ball jar. Take your lid and lay it over the netting and screw it on tight. I suggest letting the netting or screening turn as you twist the lid on. This way the netting or screen won't rip from the turning motion used to screw the lid on. What you should have when finished is the bottle or jar with the top firmly screwed on and the mesh netting or screen in the hole's opening. The screen or mesh netting should be taut and there should be no loose areas on it.

4. Catch your bugs and enjoy!

Hints Tips, And Ideas:

Whether you or your child make this, you can allow your child to decorate the outer jar or bottle with paints or stickers as they see fit.

The smaller, shorter jars would be better used for caterpillars and other non flying bugs. If you use them with flying bugs, just be quick as they have less room to fly (and escape) while you are screwing the lids on.

If you don't have Ball jars handy or an old baby bottle, you can use any glass, cup or dish instead. Just take the mesh netting or fiberglass screening and lay it over the top of the glass/cup/bowl and secure around the outer rim with a rubber band.

These are inexpensive enough to make several for your children or their friends. Perhaps you could use them as party favors if your child was to have a bug themed birthday party.

These also a great way to nurture your child's natural curiosity. Grab a little flashlight and a magnifying glass, perhaps even some tweezers and a bug field guide and they are ready to go explore and to learn about nature and the bugs around them.