Biodiversity initiatives promote insect habitats through nature gardens and insect hotels

Efforts to promote biodiversity in private and communal gardens are being highlighted through practical conservation projects and expert advice. In Lingen, Germany, the NABU group Emsland Süd has transformed a church garden at the Calvinhaus into a nature garden as part of its ‘Flotte Käfer’ project. The garden features a ‘beetle castle’ made from oak posts and wood chips, alongside Benjes hedges, to provide habitats for beetle larvae and other insects.

Experts suggest that the most effective way to support local wildlife is to maintain natural elements within the garden itself. Recommendations include leaving piles of deadwood in shaded areas, allowing sections of the lawn to remain unmown during summer, and choosing native plant species over ornamental varieties.

For those interested in building insect hotels, specialists from the Austrian Animal Welfare Association emphasize using untreated hardwood and ensuring structures are placed near flowering areas. While insect hotels can support solitary wild bees like mason bees and bumblebees, they are most effective when the surrounding garden provides sufficient food and nesting sites, such as sandy soil or leaf litter.