Red attracts insects
If you want your Insect hotel(€ 11.33 at Amazon *) becomes an eye-catcher in your garden, then you agree with the animals that move in it. Lots of insect species, in particular Lacewing, are attracted to red color. You are probably familiar with the (often annoying) phenomenon that insects constantly settle on colorful clothing. The same effect is achieved by an insect hotel painted in red.
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Use untreated paint
When sourcing the paint for your insect hotel, it is imperative to look for natural varnish. The paint must be one hundred percent free of chemical substances be. There are two main reasons for this:
- Insects recognize treated paint by its smell and avoid Your insect hotel accordingly.
- Toxic ingredients kill the insects and their brood in a very short time.
It is also advisable to choose a weather-resistant paint that keeps moisture out. In this way, you prevent mold growth in the wood. Alternatively, you can coat the paint with a natural impregnation agent such as beeswax. This smell is familiar to the animals.
Renew paint?
At an insect hotel that is exposed to the weather day after day, wind and sunlight leave traces behind. The paint is fading or peeling. In short, the paint is off. A new coat of paint is sure to create a more attractive look. But does this measure make sense? Only paint over your insect hotel if it is completely empty. Otherwise the insects will stick in the fresh color. For the good of the animals, you should accept the somewhat shabby look.