Bugs Hotels are like little five-star hotels for our six-legged friends. They provide a safe haven for ladybirds, bees and butterflies, turning your garden into an oasis for biodiversity. With a bug house, every day is an adventure for the little inhabitants of your green corner!
Bugs Hotel, shelter for ‘useful’ insects
Insect houses, also known as ‘bugs hotels’ or ‘bees hotels’, are structures designed to provide a habitat for various types of ‘beneficial’ insects.
Insects considered ‘useful’ are those that play beneficial roles within the ecosystem, contributing to plant health and biodiversity.
Unlike beneficial insects, those considered harmful can cause significant damage to plants and ecosystems.
Aphids, caterpillars, mealybugs and whiteflies attack plants by sucking sap, damaging leaves and reducing the plants’ ability to photosynthesise and grow.
Bug hotels therefore provide hospitality for the natural predators of pests.
These structures are divided into sections of different sizes and materials to accommodate multiple types of animals.
Solitary bees, for example, do not live in colonies like honey bees, but prefer to nest in small holes or crevices.
Ladybirds, earwigs and chrysopids are all useful in controlling the population of aphids and other plant pests, and they too find refuge in these small structures to nest and reproduce.
All these animals play crucial roles inplant pollination and biological pest control, helping to maintain the health and biodiversity of urban gardens and vegetable gardens.
Loss of habitat
The largest global study ever conducted on insects, conducted by 3 German research centres, revealed a worrying decline of 25% over the last 30 years. This decline is particularly accelerated in Europe.
The analysis analysed 1,700 sites and found that we have lost a quarter of the existing insects since 1990.
The main causes are the destruction of natural habitats, pesticide use and urbanisation.
It is important to remember that the disappearance of insects would have a devastating impact on many aspects of life on Earth, compromising food production, soil health and the balance of ecosystems.
Therefore, bee hotels are a valuable addition to any garden or vegetable garden and are also an excellent educational tool to teach new generations the importance of habitat conservation.
These simple structures can help improve the health of local ecosystems and reduce the use of chemical pesticides.
What do these ‘hotels’ look like?
To build a bugs hotel, common materials such as untreated wood can be used to avoid poisoning its inhabitants with chemicals.
Hollow bricks and logs with holes of different sizes can accommodate various species. Also popular are bamboo canes, ideal for attracting solitary bees, and straw and moss, perfect for ladybirds and other small insects.
The basic structure can be a wooden box or a wooden plank construction, preferably in the shape of a small house.
The important thing is to include natural materials, creating niches of different sizes to increase the variability of guests.
These structures should be placed in a sunny location sheltered from wind and rain, preferably in the south or south-east, avoiding soil moisture, at an ideal height between 1 and 2 metres above the ground.
It can be fixed to the trunk of a tree, or on the outer wall of a building, preferably sheltered from the rain. These measures will help create an ideal habitat, even in an urban context. And if you plan to build one, as well as being good for the environment, remember to have fun!
Play for the planet!