The importance of insect hotels

Did you know that for every person on Earth, there are approximately 1.4 billion insects? (source: Royal Entomological Society)

Many insects are struggling to survive due to habitat loss and climate change, especially in the environment of London’s built-up city. Insect hotels provide a better and much-needed safe hideaway for minibeasts, insects and butterflies in the area.

How do we help the insect population?

Bug hotels are important to promote a healthy ecosystem and encourage biodiversity. Their nesting tubes encourage insect pollination, which in turn supports the bird population. The hotels also provide shelter for insects looking to hibernate in the winter. 

The Russell Square Insect Hotels are a community project from the Square’s Volunteer Gardening Group, sponsored by the nearby Imperial Group Hotel and Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel.

Why are bug hotels important?

• They provide a home for solitary insects who don’t live in colonies, such as solitary bees, butterflies and moths.
• As mankind expands, natural habitats such as hedgerows are lost. A bug hotel recreates these habitats by providing insects with a space to nest and hibernate.
• They are a great way for people of all ages to connect with insect life, and to repurpose garden waste in the creation of a bug hotel

Above: Close up detail of the Russell Square Insect Hotel. It's important for an insect hotel to contain a variety of damp and dry environments, as different insects have different preferences. Hollow pipes (top left) act as nesting sites for solitary bees. Bundles of straw and hay (right) provide a home for insects to burrow into for hibernation.

Why not get creative and make your own insect hotel at home? Reuse old wooden pallets, dead wood, bricks, dry leaves, and corrugated cardboard - see what you can build!

How to get there

Find the Russell Square Insect Hotel in Russell Square Gardens, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 4JA.

Nearest tube: Russell Square Underground
Entry: Free
Opening times: 7.30am-10.00pm daily.