We decided to install an “insect hotel” on the campus because there are not enough natural shelters for various insect species. What is an “insect hotel”? It is a freely accessible wooden box with different natural materials prepared on individual shelves. Insects can use it in certain stages of development (e.g. a small cavity (about 0.5 cm) can accommodate a solitary bee: from the egg to the hatching of an adult bee).
For the construction of the “insect hotel,” we provided wooden planks, and our campus carpenter made it (according to an online manual). Until today (2022/08), we have produced and positioned one wooden box. We hung it on the trunk of an old dead tree, right of the main entrance to the campus (about 50 meters – right of the road). Children from the “Molekula” children’s group (kindergarten), established by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and based on the campus, helped collect natural material into the hotel compartments. The children also willingly and enthusiastically helped during the creation and installation (2021) of this “insect hotel”.
How could I help?
- If you have untapped old wooden planks (no plywood, just nature-wooden, width at least 15 cm) that you would be willing to donate to build an “insect hotel”, please let us know. Any such wooden plank (board) will help.
- Help directly – make an “insect hotel” yourself and hang it around your home (cottage) – here are links for it: