Bug Hotel

They show up every spring, flying into town and banging on our screens, as if we owed them a room for the night. Well, here's hospitality everyone can live with. Our Bug Hotel is simple yet sturdy, with lots of observation windows for young entomologists. Guests check in, then you get to check 'em out.

MATERIALS
Oatmeal container
Markers or poster paint and paintbrushes
Craft knife
2 feet of fiberglass screening (from a hardware store)

1. Use markers or poster paint to decorate the outside of the oatmeal container, making sure you post the house rules.

2. Paint or draw the shutters, then use a craft knife (adults only) to cut them out with sideways H shapes.

3. Paint the door, then cut it out, making sure its bottom edge is at least 1/4 inch above the floor inside (to keep guests from checking out too early).

4. Roll the screening so it rests snugly around the inside of the container. Trim so the top edge fits beneath the lid, and leave a 1-inch overlap where the side edges meet.

TIP: Be sure to provide your guests with food (notice what they were eating when you found them) and water (a filled plastic bottle cap should meet their needs).