Megan's Nature Nook
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The birds are singing and the frogs are calling, the soundtrack of Spring is welcoming after a long winter! Last fall I randomly came across a video about tree frog hotels and was reminded of this when the frogs started calling this spring. I hadn’t heard of tree frog hotels before but I was intrigued. Do they really work? So I decided to try making my own tree frog hotel and see what happens. If you build it, they will come - right? Tree frogs have toe pads that allow them to climb trees and shrubs. In residential areas they can be found stuck to windows and glass sliding doors eating insects attracted to lights. So PVC pipes in this DIY treefrog hotel are easy to climb and make a great hiding place for them. For this DIY you’ll need minimal supplies and you might already have some on hand. I was able to scrounge up everything for this project except for the PVC pipe caps and fittings. Gather your supplies and welcome tree frogs to your yard with this easy project! Supplies
Tools
Step 1. Choose a container with drainage holes or one you can put drainage holes into. The size of the container will determine how many pipes you can fit in it. I found a pot for free from Facebook Marketplace last fall, a great time to get free containers as people are cleaning up their gardening supplies and don’t want to store them. Step 2. Add a thin layer of rock to the bottom of the container. I used small rocks leftover from an aquarium project. Step 3. Arrange your PVC pipes in the container and decide how many you can fit and what heights you want. Use a pencil or marker to mark your pipe lengths. I used PVC that my dad had leftover from a project so all of mine were 2 inches in diameter. You can use different sizes for variety. I liked the look of varying heights so I made all the pipes a different height, but you can make them all the same if you’d like. Step 4. Use a hand saw or miter box saw to cut the PVC pipes to the desired length. Then use sandpaper, a file, or deburring tool to smooth out any rough edges from the saw. We used a miter box saw and the PVC pipe left a lot of little shavings that stuck to everything. A paper towel pushed through the pipe with a dowel rod took care of a majority of the shaving and a quick rinse got rid of the rest. It is also a good idea to wash your PVC pipes and fittings so they are safe for the tree frogs as amphibians can be sensitive to things in their environment. Step 5. Drill a ¼ inch hole approximately 5 inches from the base of the pipe. This will allow for the pipes to hold water, but not fill completely. Use the sandpaper, file, or deburring tool again to smooth out any rough edges from the drill. Step 6. Place the caps on the bottom of the PVC pipes and angled fittings to the top (if using). I used a 45° and 90° fitting and left the other two open with no fitting. Step 7. Arrange the assembled PVC pipes in your container and scoop in rock to hold the pipes in place. Fill to just below the drainage holes so water can drain easily. I tied the pipes together with a shoestring to hold them upright and in place as I added rocks. Step 8. Find the perfect location for your frog hotel and fill the pipes with water until they begin to drain out. Unfortunately, I don’t hear tree frogs at my house, so I decided to leave the tree frog hotel at my parents’ house since they have better habitat. I even heard a tree frog singing as I was assembling the hotel so I know they’re in the area! I chose a shady spot near the edge of the woods, hoping the tree frogs will think this is a great location, too! Step 9.
Keep your PVC pipes filled with water and keep checking for froggy friends! It may take them a little while to find it, but with moisture, shade, and nice hiding spots in the pipes your hotel should have visitors in no time! There are many variations to this frog hotel! You can use a variety of containers, use as many or as few pipes as you would like. Add varying heights, diameters, and attachments at the top. Instead of rock you could use soil and plant a shade loving plant to help retain moisture and add an extra hiding spot for the frogs. The pipes could also be painted (outside only) if desired. I chose not to since tree frogs can be sensitive to things in their environment. If you don’t have space for a hotel, you can make a frog tube by making a single PVC pipe as described above with a drainage hole and cap. Near the top drill a hole that you can hang on a screw drilled into a fence post, shed, deck, or the like. Keep it filled with water so the frogs have moisture. And there you have it! An easy DIY project to encourage tree frogs in your yard. Not only are they fun critters to have around and hear calling, but they eat insects and can help keep pests in your yard at bay. Try your hand as a hotel owner, you may be surprised at who you attract!
3 Comments
Amanda M
6/1/2023 07:01:23 pm
Omg! I have seen these before, but never thought about how easy they are to make. I don’t think I have tree frogs around my place, but I know for a fact my mom and dad’s house do! This will be a really cute birthday/Father’s Day gift for my dad, as he has a huge garden and this would be a really cute addition! Thanks Megan!
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Megan Betcher
6/1/2023 07:19:56 pm
Great idea! Let me know if they have any visitors, I would love pictures!
Reply
Lonnie
6/2/2023 09:24:53 am
This is cool. I am going to build this. Thanks for the info. Lon
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